Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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62 NOV. 6, 2017 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED I t wasn't long ago that 2010‑13 Notre Dame defensive coordina‑ tor Bob Diaco received the Frank Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant coach (2012). Today, after a failed head coach‑ ing stint at Connecticut, Diaco leads a scoring defense at Nebraska that ranked 94th entering the last week of October. How quickly it all can change, for worse or better. It was even more recent when Brian VanGorder (the Broyles Award winner in 2003) in his first five games at Notre Dame in 2014 was the toast of the town while his defense permitted only 12.0 points per contest, highlighted by a 31‑0 whitewash of Michigan. After an ignominious ouster four games into the 2016 season, VanGorder now works as an analyst at Oklahoma State. Again, how the mighty can sometimes fall (and still rise later). So when new defensive coordina‑ tor Mike Elko is heralded as the latest and greatest savior on campus, there might be some reluctance to say too much too soon. Cynicism and experi‑ ence through the years can do that. Nevertheless, in a week where Wake Forest, Elko's most recent stomping grounds, is next on the Notre Dame docket, this year's transformation of the Irish defense is another example — this time on the positive side — of how quickly the pendulum can swing in the world of college football. For only the second time since 1983, Notre Dame did not allow more than 20 points in any of the first seven contests (Diaco's 2012 troops were the other to do so). There are game changers in recruit‑ ing, but not without the proper guid‑ ance, communication, firmness and reassurance via coaching. From that perspective, Elko has been one of the most valuable assets in the effort to restore Notre Dame's standing after last year's 4‑8 implosion. The defense has taken a significant leap in a year where it was thought to be too young on the back end and too unproven up front. When asked what was so appealing about Elko, head coach Brian Kelly outlined three factors. "Number one, I loved the fact that he had come up through the ranks, as a I‑AA coach [Football Champion‑ ship Subdivision], non‑Power Five coach" Kelly said. "I've always appre‑ ciated coaches that have worked that way, because it really is an indicator of your ability to teach and communi‑ cate and do more with less." How's this for a résumé that might inspire some head‑scratching on how Elko was hired at Notre Dame: Stony Brook, Penn (Elko's alma mater), U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Ford‑ ham, Richmond, Hofstra, Bowling Green and Wake Forest. That's how not to necessarily judge a book by its cover. "Secondly, when he got to Wake Forest, his ability to really take the football away," Kelly continued. "And then, third, the evaluations from so many people that have worked with him. "He was great to work with, a great staff member and a bulldog on the recruiting trail. All of those fac‑ tors were contributors." The icing on the cake has been the remarkably quick buy‑in he's had in his interaction with the players. "This has a lot to do with they know him to have been very, very successful," Kelly said. "But that's only part of it. "You then have to build a trust with the players that what you do will have a carryover in what their per‑ formance level is. He made a quick impact with our players through building a great relationship. "He's great with not just the de‑ fensive players. If you ask our of‑ fensive players, he takes the time to spend with them as well. His ability to communicate and build relation‑ ships with his players is the second key there." The South Brunswick, N.J., native, for example, clicked immediately with fellow state native and junior quarter‑ back Brandon Wimbush (Teaneck). "He's a Jersey guy, so it's so easy for me to communicate and interact with Coach Elko … areas he knows, restau‑ rants he's eaten at that I've eaten at, too," Wimbush said. "He's definitely a personable guy, and I think the en‑ tire team loves having him around. He's a big‑time recruiter with that kind of personality. … You like the coaches who you can go up to and just kick it and have a great time with. "Coaches tend to gravitate toward their one side of the ball, but I think Coach Elko and the rest of the de‑ fensive staff do a great job of going beyond that." "We got lucky with him," fifth‑year senior offensive tackle and team cap‑ tain Mike McGlinchey said of Elko. "He's a phenomenal coach that's paying dividends for our defense, but he's also a great person. "We've had coaches interact before from the defense, but I don't know if it's to the extent that Coach Elko makes it a point to do — and wants his staff to do. "We're a full team here. We're not two different teams on offense and defense; we're all teammates. I think that's what our base advantage has been, as cliché as it sounds. It's across the board, from Coach Kelly to the people serving us the food at the training table." It has been an awakening from Wake. ✦ An Irish Awakening On Defense … And Offense Senior Editor Lou Somogyi has been at Blue & Gold Illustrated since July 1985. He can be reached at lsomogyi@blueandgold.com First-year defensive coordinator Mike Elko has demonstrated an ability to communicate and build relationships with Irish players, on both sides of the ball. PHOTO BY COREY BODDEN THE FIFTH QUARTER LOU SOMOGYI