Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/90407
S not to return for his senior season, All-American line- backer Manti Te'o made one condi- tion clear to his position coach, Bob Diaco. And only a young man with the certitude of Te'o would ever present an ultima- tum like this. If Te'o was going hortly before deciding on whether or Bringing Elite Results Strange Request UPON FURTHER REVIEW TODD D. BURLAGE allowed and ap- parently treat Te'o like a ball boy. The results are exceed- ing every expecta- tion. "In terms of the list defensively," Diaco said, "we can't move too far away from our core beliefs." Add better re- to stick around, he wanted to be treated and coached like the worst linebacker in the country, not as a certain first-round NFL Draft pick and the brightest star on the Irish defense. A strange request indeed, but Di- When All-American linebacker Manti Te'o decided to return for his senior season, he asked defensive coordinator Bob Diaco to coach him as if he was the worst player in the country at his position. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA Notre Dame among the best defenses in the country. Heading into the game Saturday cruiting and vastly improved player development, and the pieces are fall- ing neatly into place for sustained success and an annual place for aco obliged. The approach has made Te'o arguably the best linebacker ever to play at Notre Dame and Diaco the hottest defensive coordinator in the country for the dramatic turnaround he has led. The three-pronged strategy Diaco outlined to building his dominat- ing defense was relatively simple — take away an opponent's offensive strengths through game plan, elimi- nate big plays in order to trim points against Oklahoma, Diaco's defense had given up only nine rushing touch- downs in its last 25 games, dating back to 2010, which is second in the country only to Alabama's seven in the same timeframe. Many statistics are misleading, while others tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Notre Dame has spent almost the entire season near the top of the NCAA mountain in five critical ar- eas — red zone defense (10 of 19 in to- tal scores for 53 percent, and 4 of 19 in