Photo by Rick Kimball/ISD
Notre Dame Football
Martini and Defense Benefiting from New Culture
April 13, 2017
6,149
Notre Dame has stressed fundamentals all spring on both sides of the football, and it’s been a massive focus on the defensive side of the ball. Tackling, footwork and the basic movements are all things being stressed by defensive coordinator Mike Elko.
It might sound simple and boring, but there is a purpose.
“It all goes back to fundamentals with him. It’s about maximizing your body movements, and it takes time,” senior linebacker Greer Martini stated. “A lot of us had to correct a lot of things initially, but we’ve made a lot of progress as a linebacker unit. It’s shown on the field with our body movement, and we’re playing faster.”
Martini has been impressed with the attitude and personality of his new position coach this spring.
“Coach Lea is an energetic coach and is always leading us,” said Martini. “His energy is kind of contagious, and I think he is a great ball coach.”
Lea’s attention to the smallest details isn’t something out of the ordinary for Notre Dame, but Martini says it’s just a different focus.
“All of my coaches since I have been here were detailed oriented, but it’s just different stuff,” explained Martini. “A lot of his stuff is on body movement, and that’s what we focus a lot on. The scheme is very important to him, but we are establishing movement, so it comes naturally when the season gets here.”
Another major focus of the Irish defense this spring has been about forcing turnovers. It's not just talking, but there is physical action each practice to make sure the team is maximizing opportunities to get the ball.
“We want to create more turnovers and get the ball back in the offense’s hands,” said Martini. “We work on turnovers every day, and there is a goal to get three turnovers or more. That’s what we are striving for.
“All defenses want to create turnovers, but the emphasis is different with Coach Elko. We go through a circuit every day that is detailed towards turnovers. We had done that in the past, but every single day is drilling on how to create turnovers is different.
“It’s more about getting to the ball. There is a way to get to the ball and impact it when we get there. The second or third guy is getting there for a punch instead of just tackling.”
Elko and Lea have brought a positive vibe to the defensive side of the ball, which in turn has lead to players learning more about the game.
“His positive reinforcement with us is great, as well as he understands football and has given us so much knowledge,” Martini said of Elko. “We know so much situationally and understanding football as a whole.”
“I think things obviously had to change and we knew things were going to change,” he explained. “We put our faith in Coach Kelly, and those changes have been positive with our strength program and on the field. It’s just a different energy and intensity compared to last year.
“You feel defeated after a 4-8 season, and now we have a positive energy. We have high hopes for the season. We have the opportunity to prove ourselves.”
Martini will also have the opportunity to prove to his teammates and the NFL he can be an every-down linebacker. During his career, Martini has been a triple-option and situational linebacker, but in 2017, he has the chance to be on the field more at the Buck spot, a position Martini says is exactly like Brian VanGorder’s Will position.
“I have always strived to be an every down linebacker, and I have been given that opportunity,” said Martini. “It’s just making the most of my opportunity. It was important to have those niche roles to get to where I am now. I have had experience, but I want to be that every-down linebacker.”
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His energy is kind of contagious, and I think he is a great ball coach.
Linebackers coach Clark Lea has also made sure his unit is taking it from the first step. Each practice, Lea begins position work with his linebackers making first-step movements and repeating them over and over again. It might sound simple and boring, but there is a purpose.
“It all goes back to fundamentals with him. It’s about maximizing your body movements, and it takes time,” senior linebacker Greer Martini stated. “A lot of us had to correct a lot of things initially, but we’ve made a lot of progress as a linebacker unit. It’s shown on the field with our body movement, and we’re playing faster.”
Martini has been impressed with the attitude and personality of his new position coach this spring.
“Coach Lea is an energetic coach and is always leading us,” said Martini. “His energy is kind of contagious, and I think he is a great ball coach.”
Lea’s attention to the smallest details isn’t something out of the ordinary for Notre Dame, but Martini says it’s just a different focus.
“All of my coaches since I have been here were detailed oriented, but it’s just different stuff,” explained Martini. “A lot of his stuff is on body movement, and that’s what we focus a lot on. The scheme is very important to him, but we are establishing movement, so it comes naturally when the season gets here.”
Another major focus of the Irish defense this spring has been about forcing turnovers. It's not just talking, but there is physical action each practice to make sure the team is maximizing opportunities to get the ball.
“We want to create more turnovers and get the ball back in the offense’s hands,” said Martini. “We work on turnovers every day, and there is a goal to get three turnovers or more. That’s what we are striving for.
“All defenses want to create turnovers, but the emphasis is different with Coach Elko. We go through a circuit every day that is detailed towards turnovers. We had done that in the past, but every single day is drilling on how to create turnovers is different.
“It’s more about getting to the ball. There is a way to get to the ball and impact it when we get there. The second or third guy is getting there for a punch instead of just tackling.”
Elko and Lea have brought a positive vibe to the defensive side of the ball, which in turn has lead to players learning more about the game.
“His positive reinforcement with us is great, as well as he understands football and has given us so much knowledge,” Martini said of Elko. “We know so much situationally and understanding football as a whole.”
You feel defeated after a 4-8 season, and now we have a positive energy.
Martini has seen the highs of trying to make the College Football Playoff in 2015 to the struggles of 2016. The 6-foot-4, 240-pounder knew on the flight back from USC that changes were coming, but he didn’t know exactly what. “I think things obviously had to change and we knew things were going to change,” he explained. “We put our faith in Coach Kelly, and those changes have been positive with our strength program and on the field. It’s just a different energy and intensity compared to last year.
“You feel defeated after a 4-8 season, and now we have a positive energy. We have high hopes for the season. We have the opportunity to prove ourselves.”
Martini will also have the opportunity to prove to his teammates and the NFL he can be an every-down linebacker. During his career, Martini has been a triple-option and situational linebacker, but in 2017, he has the chance to be on the field more at the Buck spot, a position Martini says is exactly like Brian VanGorder’s Will position.
“I have always strived to be an every down linebacker, and I have been given that opportunity,” said Martini. “It’s just making the most of my opportunity. It was important to have those niche roles to get to where I am now. I have had experience, but I want to be that every-down linebacker.”
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