Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/954261
32 APRIL 2018 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED BY LOU SOMOGYI A s the 16th Notre Dame de- fensive coordinator hired the past 35 years — and the fifth under head coach Brian Kelly — Clark Lea appreciates how timing can be everything in a hire. So when 2017 first-year Fighting Irish defensive coordinator Mike Elko departed for Texas A&M shortly after the Citrus Bowl triumph against LSU, Lea no longer was looking at becoming a follower. He had been with Elko at both Bowling Green (2012) and Wake For- est (2016) for one year apiece, but the third one-year stint at Notre Dame (2017) whetted his football appetite to move forward not laterally. "I was totally wrapped up in get- ting the chance to do this," Lea said of this time succeeding Elko. The conspicuous improvement of the 2017 Notre Dame defense both fundamentally and statistically — moving from 62nd nationally in TIMING & CONTINUITY Newly promoted coordinator Clark Lea welcomes back a veteran-laden defense While serving as the linebackers coach a year ago, Lea helped the Irish improve their scoring defense from 62nd nationally (27.8 points allowed per game) to 31st (21.5). PHOTO BY COREY BODDEN