ISD Daily Briefing
Jan. 30, 2017


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Busy day at ND and ISD. We got our chance to meet with all of the new assistant coaches along with Brian Kelly. We have multiple videos and transcripts.

ISD Video: Brian Kelly

ISD Video: New Coaches

S&C Coach Matt Balis Transcript
Excerpt
Balis: I think anytime you come to a new spot, it's a matter of putting your stuff in and trying to teach the stuff to the coaches. Not so much of what was lacking, it was more of, getting what I do taught, to not only the kids, but then the coaches. That's always the hardest part. They don't know your stuff at first. There's basic movements that everyone knows, but the tempo, how we're competing, all the points. There's some stuff that takes time, and just getting used to the flow of the room. That might be different. I think it's just that. Everyone learning your stuff, and once they've learned your stuff, then you can go to the next level.

Mike Elko On Mike Elko
Excerpt
Notre Dame made a major hire in defensive coordinator Mike Elko in December and now it's time to get to work. Elko met with the media for the first on Monday afternoon and he admitted he did his homework to make sure there was talent on the roster before taking the job in South Bend.

"That was probably the biggest thing I looked at before taking the job," Elko stated. "'Was how fast could we have success?' I believe there is talent here that meshes and matches with what we do. I don't think it'll be an exact match, it never is, but there is certainly a foundation to get done what we need to do pretty quickly."

After officially being named defensive coordinator, it was time to hit the road recruiting and it needed to be hit hard, as the Irish needed a presence and face of the defense on the recruiting trail.

"Notre Dame recruits nationally," laughed Elko when asked about the biggest difference in recruiting coming from Wake Forest. "From Pittsburgh to Virginia. From Florida to San Diego, I've been all over the place pretty quick. You recognize the brand name and that you're well received no matter where you go. You can go recruit the best across the country."


Insight To Rover, Buck
Excerpt
Many questions have been about Elko's Rover, Drop and Buck positions. He gave some insight into each position and I asked what type of athlete he is looking for to fill those roles.

ROVER
"The rover gives a kid an ability to be a second-level defender without having to be a box defender," said Elko. "Years ago we realized there is this group of kids out there who are really good football players, really good athletes, really good blitzer and really good tackler that can't play in the box as linebackers and can't play as safeties. So we have created this position where the responsibility of that job allows them to do the things they are good at. Blitz, run and hit, make plays on the perimeter without covering as a high safety and without having to lineup over a guard and play physical linebacker."

On identifying Rover prospects.
"It's not necessarily a specific skill set I'm looking for, but it's when you find a kid and say 'That kid is a really good football player,'" stated Elko. "It's knowing you have a home for him in your defense. He runs, he tackles and he is extremely athletic and we know for sure we have a home for him in the rover position.


Tom Rees Transcript
Excerpt
With the vote not happening until April, was it sort of a gamble with taking the position?
Rees: It doesn't change anything on a daily basis and what I'm going to do responsbilitiy-wise, role-wise. I'm in charge of those quarterbacks, and it's something I take very seriously and I'm excited for. Whatever happens with the vote happens, happens. It's out of my control. I think there's been enough positive feedback around it, that it might be as large a gamble as some people might think, but, regardless of what happens, I'm here to coach the quarterbacks. I'm here to be at Notre Dame. That's something that I'll let the rest take care of itself.

Have you talked with Brandon Wimbush much at all yet?
Rees: Yeah, I've gotten to know Brandon really well the last couple of weeks. He's an awesome kid, first of all. Really a pleasure to be around, smart, cares a lot about his teammates, this place, and playing the position the right way. Everything you ask anybody about, he's a great kid. Guys on the team love him. Guys on the team respect him. He just hasn't had the opportunity to play yet. Going back and watching his reps from camp, and he got in against UMass a couple years ago, he's got ability. He has a chance to be a very good player. He wants to be that guy. That's where you start. He wants to be the leader. He wants to be the quarterback. If you don't have that, you don't have anything. He's really been impressive to be around and just watching the workouts and how he pushes himself and his athletic ability. He's got a chance to be a really good player."


Del Alexander Transcript
Excerpt
You've been mainly a West Coast guy, but have some Midwest experience. It's obviously a different style of football. Was it just wanting to get back to the Midwest a factor in it?
Alexander: Five years in the Midwest, prior to now, was a great experience. In terms of style of football, it's nothing new. What Wisconsin is doing there is something we did at Oregon State. We did it at the Chargers, and I'm totally familiar with it.

You're known as a guy who teaches physical play and the little things. With a lot of young guys you have to coach up, how important is that to getting them ready?
Alexander: It's critical. It's critical in terms of a mental toughness, a physical toughness. It's critical that they understand that, even if you catch 10 balls a game, which is a high, high level, there's another 90 plays or 80 plays that you have to go out and do something else, and that's help your teammates out. That's be physical. That's play every play.


BK Notebook: New Hires
Excerpt
Notre Dame has undergone a massive restructure to its coaching staff over the last month and it started with head coach Brian Kelly evaluating where the strengths and weaknesses of his program were after the loss to USC.

Kelly met with 96 players to get their ideas on where things went wrong in 2016 and where things could be improved. However, Kelly said the 4-8 season started with him.

"I know I'm going to be reminded about the past," Kelly said on Monday. "I think that there are in my mind, as I reflect at it, there are no bad football teams. There's just poorly-led football teams. And I think I led this team poorly. And I think that's probably what I learned more than anything else."

While some will agree with Kelly and some won't, Kelly is the head football coach at Notre Dame for 2017 and he has made tough changes.

Replacing long-time assistant and friend, Paul Longo, wasn't an easy decision and hiring new coordinators on both sides of the football aren't easy transitions.

"Change always starts with the top," stated Kelly. "You know, last year, certainly we didn't live up to those expectations and that falls on me first and foremost. And we needed to make some significant changes. Significant not just in terms of personnel but on how we do things on a day-to-day basis and it starts with me."


Monday Recruiting Update
Excerpt
Notre Dame and Irish fans had been waiting for some positive news on the recruiting trail for quite some time and it finally came this past week. The Irish received commitments from safety Jordan Gemmark Heath, receiver Jafar Armstrong and kicker Jon Doerer, but more could be on the way very soon.

2017 Defensive End Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa
The four-star prospect visited mid-week for his official visit and the reviews from his family were phenomenal. Entering the week, Tagovailoa-Amosa had USC as his leader, but coming out of it, we believe Notre Dame is the leader.

The family was huge on academics and that's exactly what they saw in South Bend. The Hawaii native also saw a first-class football program, but it was the people that may end up pushing the Irish over the top if Tagovailoa-Amosa ends up signing with Notre Dame on Wednesday.

2017 Defensive End Jalen Harris
Entering this weekend's official visit, we felt Notre Dame had the best chance to flip the Arizona commit. Coming out of the weekend, we feel Notre Dame made a huge move with Harris, but also his family.


Notre Dame's 2017 recruiting board is getting smaller with two prospects announcing commitments to other schools on Monday, although neither Oliver Martin's decision or Evan Fields' came as a surprise.



Notre Dame did add another preferred walk-on in Iowa's John Maloney.



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