Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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UNDER THE DOME WHAT ABOUT BOB? ished 89th against the run, and also 86th in total defense (397.8 yards per game) and 63rd in scoring defense (25.92 points per game). During the 11-0 start in 2012, third- year Notre Dame defensive coordina- tor Bob Diaco orchestrated a renais- sance on that side of the ball. Notre Dame was tied with Alabama for No. 1 in scoring defense (10.1 points allowed per game) and was fifth in rushing defense (92.2 yards allowed per game), sixth in total defense (287.8 yards allowed per game) and 11th in pass efficiency defense (104.6 rating). The possible front-runner for this year's Frank Broyles Award, which is presented to the nation's top as- sistant coach, the 39-year-old Diaco inevitably will be linked to some head coaching vacancies at the end of the regular season. Irish head coach Brian Kelly said he would give Diaco the opportunity to make an upward move if the situation presented itself, but it hasn't been a topic of conversation while the me- ticulous Diaco keeps his eyes on only one target. "You know Bob — he doesn't want fense hit its nadir during a season- ending four-game losing streak in which the Irish yielded 32 points per game, 263 yards rushing per game and 5.7 yards per carry. Consequently, the Fighting Irish fin- Three years ago, Notre Dame's de- Irish defensive coordinator Bob Diaco is a front- runner for this year's Frank Broyles Award, which is presented to the nation's top assistant coach. PHOTO BY JOE RAYMOND Notre Dame to help win a national championship." Kelly added "assistant head coach" to Diaco's job title last winter and rec- ognizes that his defensive coordinator has a broad-based comprehension of a college coach's mission. "Any great head coach is going to have to have more than just under- standing X's and O's," Kelly said. "You've got to understand the players and the university and how to work within that entire setting. I think Bob really knows that well." Former Irish defensive bosses to to talk about it," Kelly said. "He didn't come to Notre Dame to be the head coach somewhere else. He came to land head coaching positions include John Ray (Kentucky, 1969-72), Barry Alvarez (Wisconsin, 1990-2005), Rick Minter (Cincinnati, 1994-2003) and Bob Davie (Notre Dame, 1997-2001).