Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
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BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2017 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ✦ 83 didn't hold gaps well, we didn't come off blocks well, we missed a lot of tackles. "That's what I saw when I watched the Notre Dame defense, so I think that's where a lot of it came from. We can implement this new scheme, but if these things don't improve it's going to be the same result." BGI: Your specific philosophy is you want to attack, you want to pressure the backfield. Why is it important for your defense to be able to do that? Elko: "I think that is how you combat the spread [offenses]. Nowadays offenses have gotten so good at developing five-yard plays, four-yard plays and being patient in taking those plays, that when you really study it, the drives end with negative plays. They don't end with consistently shutting down offenses anymore. "It's that one tackle for loss that makes it second-and-13, or it's the first-and-10 to second-and-six to third-and-nine — that's where drives end. Trying to create those situ- ations gets us off the field." BGI: Head coach Brian Kelly, defensive line coach Mike Elston and yourself have all spoken well about the defensive line, which is perceived negatively by many outside the program. What gives you confidence in that group? Elko: "They are capable of doing what we are asking them to do. … Do we have a guy who is going to be a first-round draft pick next fall? No. Do we have guys that are capable of recreating the line of scrimmage, getting penetration, winning some one-on- one pass rushes? Yes, we do. "We saw that at different times during the spring. The other thing that gives us confi- dence with that group is we are going against the bar standard in some ways. What we do physically on offense is very impressive. We feel like we're getting challenged on a day-in and day-out basis. "[Wake Forest] is the model of compari- son. Guys look at that Wake Forest defensive line and see production and success. I think we can be very similar." BGI: Linebacker is a position that you're going to have an opportunity to get a lot of production from. Is that a byproduct of the system or the talent? Elko: "Maybe a little of both. We've al- ways emphasized playing really fast and aggressive at linebacker. We do a decent amount of blitzing and stunting and those types of things that create situations for those kids to be successful. "… I certainly think the way we coach them to be aggressive and attack leads them to be more productive." BGI: What does senior Mike linebacker Nyles Morgan bring to your defense and what does having a Mike that can play downhill do for your defense? Elko: "He's extremely physical. He's very dynamic … That gives him the ability to really anchor the middle of your defense. It makes it harder to run the ball, and that's where it starts. "The more physical presence your Mike linebacker has, the more disruptive he can be. He's almost like a next-level defensive lineman. That forces people to think about how they are going to attack you in the run game because they can't just push you around." BGI: Senior Greer Martini was the top Buck linebacker in the spring. What did you see from him to where he established him- self so well as a starter? Elko: "Greer is extremely athletic. I think that gets lost in the conversation a little bit, he's an extremely athletic linebacker. We've really tried to give him the ability to focus in on one spot and empower him to be a differ- ence maker at a spot as opposed to maybe saying he is athletic and capable of doing a lot of things. "We wanted him to be really, really good at one thing, and that for us is the Buck position." BGI: Drue Tranquill is playing the rover position in your defense, which is new at Notre Dame. How does he fit that spot? Elko: "It is a position where a really good football player can get on the field and be really productive. … The things that Drue struggles with are no longer part of his job description. The things that Drue does ex- ceptionally well are a major part of his job description. "He's going to be able to be good. It's more a product of that, not necessarily that position is any more critical or important than others. It's a position where a really good football player is playing and he's go- ing to find a way to be productive there. "Part of it, too, is we've constructed this scheme that allows that guy to not be a line- backer. That maybe creates a little more flexibility with that position." BGI: You have a lot of youth at safety. What's the evolution been like? Elko: "About three-quarters of the way through spring we started to settle into a rhythm of who could do what. The last por- tion of the spring we started to look more like a group. … We've started to learn the defense and get a little more comfortable in it, which allows us to be a little quicker in how we play. "We've got to develop fundamentally. That's a big piece back there and that's got to continue all summer and into fall camp. At the end of it, hopefully we'll have a group that can go out and be successful." BGI: Sophomore Jalen Elliott is someone who emerged at the boundary safety (Whip) spot. What did you see from him that made you feel he is the guy for that position? Elko: "Jalen probably has the most upside because he's played safety the least in his life. His upswing has been a little higher be- cause as he's gotten more comfortable learn- ing to be a college football player, he's got- ten more comfortable playing the scheme. "He's kind of developing in two areas of his game. That developed through the spring and gave him the upper hand." BGI: More and more teams are going with the up-tempo and spread looks. How impor- tant are your safeties in combatting modern offenses? Elko: "The playbook is designed for both safeties to effectively cover and effectively get into the box. If one is better or worse at it, then you can tailor what you are calling to fit the right way. It's a lot easier to call defense when both safeties have the ability to run and cover and [also] be effective run defenders. "… The safeties are space eaters in this day and age. Everything that [offenses] are doing is all about creating space. … That has made a huge emphasis on the safety posi- tion because those are the guys who used to be six yards from the tight end in this very boxy type of space — to now have moved to 12 yards by 10 yards in this huge open area. "So the safety position has grown in im- portance over the years as the spread has evolved, and I think that will continue." ✦ "We didn't think we played the game fundamentally well. That was the one thing that jumped out to us on tape. We didn't hold gaps well, we didn't come off blocks well, we missed a lot of tackles. That's what I saw when I watched the Notre Dame defense, so I think that's where a lot of it came from. We can implement this new scheme, but if these things don't improve it's going to be the same result." ELKO