Coney Ready For Guice And LSU Offense

Notre Dame linebacker Te’von Coney led the defense with 99 tackles in 2017, and he’s looking forward to having another big game against LSU and running back Derrius Guice. 

Guice has rushed for 1,153 yards and 11 touchdowns this season and Coney see’s why the LSU junior is one of the top backs in the nation. 

“He’s a patient runner,” Coney explained. “He’s physical and hard to bring down. He uses a good pad level when he runs, and it makes it hard for defenders to tackle him.”

LSU will feature Guice, but the Tigers also love the jet sweep to get speed on the perimeter. 

“It’s a pretty good offense,” stated Coney. “They have a lot of guys that can make plays and can score. We’ve seen similar teams this year that do similar things.” 

 “It presents problems, but we have to stay focused on our keys and alignments. It’s a challenge we’re up for, and we’re focused on what we have to do.

Coney felt LSU’s offense was similar in its motions and jet sweeps to an opponent the Irish faced earlier this fall. 

 “It’s pretty close to NC State,” Coney said. “NC State was a team that used a versatile guy in different ways. We’ve seen bigger backs this year. It’s just about going out there 
and overcoming the challenge.” 

The Tigers complex pre-snap offense has Coney and his teammates locked into Mike Elko’s game plan, and he hopes it will lead to a 10th win. 

“The focus has been on the defense our coaches have put together,” said Coney. “If we focus on that, we’ll be fine.

“All the guys are really focused, and they love the game plan on offense and defense. We’re really confident and coming out here working through the plan. We want to go out there and get a 10th win. It’s a huge goal for us, and we’re definitely chasing it.”

Elko and linebackers coach Clark Lea have been instrumental in taking Coney’s game to the next level, and the junior linebacker is grateful for the new staff. 

“I think having this defensive staff was huge for me,” stated Coney. “They were able to find areas I was weak in so I could grow in them. They pushed me each day to get better in those areas. They helped me succeed on the field as well.” 

The Palm Beach Gardens (Fla.) native also felt Elko put his players in a position to excel in their strengths. 

“He knows his players and finds ways to get them in a good position,” Coney explained. “He doesn’t put his players in bad positions. He uses their strengths against the offense, and it’s paying off for all the guys on the defense.”

Coney’s ability to pick up on Elko’s scheme and put Lea’s teaching into success on the field has led him to a chance to leave for the NFL. 

However, Coney isn’t ready to make any call on his future just yet. 

“I haven’t thought about it as much,” Coney said. “The season is still going, and I’m going hard with my brothers. My focus is to get the game plan down and a 10th win.

“We worked so hard since the offseason to accomplish something as a brotherhood and team. To go out and get a 10th win, it would be another accomplishment for us. It’d be great for us.”