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Notre Dame makes hire of Wake Forest DC Mike Elko official
Notre Dame has officially found its new defensive coordinator.
Wake Forest defensive coordinator Mike Elko will move to South Bend and work for the Irish in 2017. Elko has been Wake Forest’s defensive coordinator since 2014 when he moved to the Demon Deacons with head coach Dave Clawson from Bowling Green.
“I’m excited to join a program with the prestige of Notre Dame that can recruit the nation’s highest caliber of student-athlete and compete for a national championship,” Elko said in a statement. “We hope to dictate the pace of the game with an attacking and aggressive style of defense, mix physicality and toughness with exceptional fundamentals and, lastly, play with great effort at all times. I can’t wait to dive in and help these players achieve the standard of success necessary to win at the highest level.”
Wake Forest finished the season at 6-6 and will play Temple in the Military Bowl. Elko’s defense gave up 5.34 yards per play and allowed 34 touchdowns. Wake held opponents to 21 points or fewer in eight games in 2016 and forced 25 turnovers.
Notre Dame’s defense improved as the season went on. Defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder was fired four games into the season and replaced on an interim basis by Greg Hudson. The Irish gave up 5.4 yards per play and opposing offenses averaged more than four yards per carry.
Notre Dame finished 2016 with a 4-8 record. It was the first time the Irish finished under .500 since 2007.
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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
