Notre Dame Captain Jalen Elliott: 'It’s only memorable if you win it'
“It’s only memorable if you win it,” Jalen Elliott said about his final game in Notre Dame
stadium.
Irish fans have watched Elliott transform from a 3-star defensive back who mostly played quarterback in high school to a hard-hitting safety with a nose for the football. Now in his last home game as a collegiate player, Elliott is saving his reminiscing for after the game.
“I haven’t thought about [senior day] too much, but it’ll definitely be something I think about after the game,” Elliott stated. “Right now, we’re so focused on preparation for the game we’re just trying to keep things going.”
Boston College’s top two running backs, AJ Dillon and David Bailey, are both over 6-foot, and
are 250 and 210 lbs, respectively. After a physical game against Navy’s triple-option offense,
Notre Dame may struggle to defend the Eagles’ giant backs, but Elliott has confidence in the
coaching staff’s preparation.
“Coach Lea has a game plan for us and we’ll go out and execute that,” explained Elliott. “We’re going to have to tackle well and gang tackle, so it’ll be a big week for us to play fast and physical.”
As a captain for the team, it’s clear Elliott is well respected by his teammates and the coaching
staff. Over his years at Notre Dame, Jalen’s improvement came both on the field and in the
locker room.
“Field and play recognition, and being able to lead by example,” he responded when asked
about where he’s improved most. “I’ve always been a vocal guy, but being able to go and do it
instead of just talk about it is huge for me. What coach Joseph has done for me is huge for my
development.”
Elliott attributes a lot of his progress to the coaching staff. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound safety has
blossomed under defensive coordinator Clark Lea’s watch, with 91 tackles and 6 interceptions
since Lea took the reins of the defense in 2018.
“Coach Lea is one of the hardest working guys I’ve been around. He always says we’re humble
workers, and it rubs off on us.”
Elliott, from Richmond, VA, has been around the program since the dismal 2016 season. He
reflects on that season as what kickstarted him and his classmates’ pursuit for greatness.
“You always have to go through a trial to come out triumphant,” he explained. “2016 wasn’t a
great year for us, but we were thrown into the fire as young boys and we promised it wouldn’t
happen again.”
Notre Dame fans are familiar with their team’s struggles late in the season, especially in the
month of November. When asked about fatigue after a physical Navy game, Elliott says the
team is well prepared and embracing the grind of a 12-game season.
“Right now, we’re grinding and playing for each other and having fun with that,” he noted.
“When you’re having fun and grinding for your brothers, you don’t see it as being super tired.
There will be days when you’re really feeling it, but when I look over and Alohi [Gilman] is
saying he needs me right now, I’m ready to go. It allows you to play fast and free.”
For Elliott, his four seasons at Notre Dame have transformed him both as a player and a person.
The lifelong friends and lessons learned along the way are what makes playing for the Fighting
Irish different than any other school.
“The friendships I’ve built and the brothers I’ve gained here are amazing, I’ve made
lifelong friends in the locker room,” said Elliott. “I’m also thankful for the opportunity Coach Kelly and the rest of the staff gave me to play football for the University of Notre Dame.”