Photo by Rick Kimball/ISD
Notre Dame Football
Coleman and Secondary Turning Up the Gas in 2017
August 14, 2017
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It’s been a year of change for junior Nick Coleman as he has seen a position switch and a few coaching changes. The 6-foot, 192-pounder was the starting cornerback heading into last season and is now working as the starter at free safety for the Irish heading into 2017.
The Ohio native admits it wasn’t a good feeling to lose his starting spot early last season, but it taught him how to prepare for this fall.
“That’s a big learning experience for anyone,” Coleman stated. “Handling adversity and coming to work every single day with a purpose, it starts before Fall Camp. You can’t get to camp and say you’re going to do your thing and start the season. It doesn’t work like that. You have to come every day with a workmen mindset and attack it.”
Rick Kimball/ISD
Nick Coleman
Coleman’s move to safety refreshed his mental outlook, but it also has turned out to be a good fit regarding his skillset.
“It was a good way to turn the page and start fresh,” explained Coleman. “I think that’s what I have done. I feel comfortable but I have to press more on the gas this year, and that started in January.
“After a couple of practices playing safety, I fell in love with it. I love being back there and telling people what to do to get lined up. I just love playing from there.”
New defensive coordinator Mike Elko has been a key part of Coleman’s transition. Elko is coaching the safeties but has also made the defense easier for his guys to communicate and understand.
“A lot of it is the same as last year,” Coleman said of the new scheme. “There is only so much you can do with a defense. I’d say communication is simpler for us. At the end of the day, it comes down to stopping the run and stopping the pass.”
Forcing turnovers and getting back to fundamentals has been the emphasis over the last eight months for the Irish defense. Coleman has seen the defense take strides in both areas during Fall Camp, which bodes well for their long-term goals.
“A big thing we have focused on, even in the spring, is our ball disruptions and disrupting the quarterback,” stated Coleman. “The defensive line has done a great job getting off the ball and throwing up their mirror hand, which isn’t something we focused on last year.
“Little things like that will help us in the back end. We’ve done a great job in this camp of disrupting the ball and getting interceptions. Since I have been here, it’s the most we have had in a Fall Camp.”
The Notre Dame safety play in 2016 was a liability, but Coleman and his teammates aren’t worried about what people think heading into 2017.
“We don’t pay attention to any of that, honestly,” said Coleman. “We listen to what our coaches have to say and attack every day like it’s the last. We have pride in ourselves. We want to be that group to get all those interceptions, make all those plays, and make big tackles. That’s what we’re focused on every day and what we care about.”
The Ohio native admits it wasn’t a good feeling to lose his starting spot early last season, but it taught him how to prepare for this fall.
“That’s a big learning experience for anyone,” Coleman stated. “Handling adversity and coming to work every single day with a purpose, it starts before Fall Camp. You can’t get to camp and say you’re going to do your thing and start the season. It doesn’t work like that. You have to come every day with a workmen mindset and attack it.”
Rick Kimball/ISD
Nick Coleman
“It was a good way to turn the page and start fresh,” explained Coleman. “I think that’s what I have done. I feel comfortable but I have to press more on the gas this year, and that started in January.
“After a couple of practices playing safety, I fell in love with it. I love being back there and telling people what to do to get lined up. I just love playing from there.”
New defensive coordinator Mike Elko has been a key part of Coleman’s transition. Elko is coaching the safeties but has also made the defense easier for his guys to communicate and understand.
“A lot of it is the same as last year,” Coleman said of the new scheme. “There is only so much you can do with a defense. I’d say communication is simpler for us. At the end of the day, it comes down to stopping the run and stopping the pass.”
Forcing turnovers and getting back to fundamentals has been the emphasis over the last eight months for the Irish defense. Coleman has seen the defense take strides in both areas during Fall Camp, which bodes well for their long-term goals.
“A big thing we have focused on, even in the spring, is our ball disruptions and disrupting the quarterback,” stated Coleman. “The defensive line has done a great job getting off the ball and throwing up their mirror hand, which isn’t something we focused on last year.
“Little things like that will help us in the back end. We’ve done a great job in this camp of disrupting the ball and getting interceptions. Since I have been here, it’s the most we have had in a Fall Camp.”
The Notre Dame safety play in 2016 was a liability, but Coleman and his teammates aren’t worried about what people think heading into 2017.
“We don’t pay attention to any of that, honestly,” said Coleman. “We listen to what our coaches have to say and attack every day like it’s the last. We have pride in ourselves. We want to be that group to get all those interceptions, make all those plays, and make big tackles. That’s what we’re focused on every day and what we care about.”
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