No idea what this means, but likely more coin for each. Elston adds the positions of Recruiting Coordinator and run game coordinator, Polian adds the title 'Associate Head Coach'. I'm a big Elston fan as he's done an outstanding job bringing in talent and developing our DL. Special Teams play has been solid of late (even if our punt return production remains non-existent).
Congrats to both!
Link: Promotions
I was 1000% on board with the Freeman hire from Day 1, but assumed that it meant that Elston would go elsewhere to become a DC. That Kelly was able to bring in his 1st choice to be DC and retain his 2nd choice to be DC on the staff is a huge deal. I assumed when Clark Lea left the defensive coaching staff would take a step back. The current staff (on paper) looks even better. Great job by Kelly.
Are both of these moves really promotions? I think it is for Polian, but what about Elston? He was previously Associate Head Coach. Is he retaining that title? If he is, then yes, adding recruiting coordinator, as well as run game or run defense coordinator, whichever it is, would be a bit of a promotion. That would mean there are now two Associate Head Coaches.
But, otherwise, they're just switching roles between RC and AHC, as Polian was RC previously.
Whatever it takes, I guess, to keep, what has been up to this point, our two best recruiters on staff. Maybe Mike Elston is happy where he is, and is not going to leave unless it's to be a head coach elsewhere. If that's the case then that's a great situation for ND to be in. Of course, the bump in pay that they both likely received shows that he is appreciated.
But Elston also is now the run game defensive coordinator...that extra title likely means a bump in salary for him.
I don't expect anything to change, but Kelly is thinking outside the box to get 2 of his best assistants raises and keep them at ND.
On ND's athletic site, Elston is no longer listed as assoc. hc. So, yes, like I suspected, he and Polian apparently, just switched roles. So, I guess, being named running game def coordinator is considered a promotion over associate head coach.
The bottom-line is he is likely getting a good bump in pay, and the extra responsibilities of what is essentially a co-defensive coordinator title, will make him more attractive as a head coach candidate. That, I am assuming, is what would be the most important aspect of the move.
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Doerer FGs 15 of 23, Blocked Punts #6. That's good. Allowed zero blocked punts. That's good. KO return "D" 24th, KO returns offense 48th, Net Punting 18th, Returns on Punts 80th. I don't remember if we had any missed Xtra Points. Most glaring needs of improvement IMHO are FGs made, KO Returns offense, and Punt returns offense. Compare to 2019 and you will find that we took a deep plunge from 54th to 80th in our punt returns rankings. Doerer was 17 of 20 in 2019 and our KO return offense improved by basically 40 spots from 2019 to 2020. All this probably doesn't mean all that much. Just a bunch of numbers. Our Punt returns continue to be a stubborn impotent issue to the fans. Not sure the staff are all that worked up about it.
get a QB thats in the top 5 of the Rivals 100
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criteria a prospective ND recruit must satisfy. The ND staff must evaluate how a recruit will fit in at ND and whether they are willing and able to do the extra work required to succeed in the classroom to get on the field. If you want to claim that ND culture and academics don't restrict who ND can recruit, then here's a couple of statements from ND's once-again recruiting coordinator for you to rebut respecting the extra evaluation criteria and how it limits the pool of available recruits:
academic foundation, core curriculum, support system, good citizen
can recruit less than 1/2 top 100 recruits.
To play on a Rhodes Scholarship...you'd have to play for Oxford. (Row maybe.)
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It’s that time of year...for all the bullshit excuses
You’re not a top 5 QB without a brain....what a fucking joke
Kyler Murray - 71 - 5 Dual
Duane Haskins - 100 - 5 Pro
Jaylen Hurts - 231 - 9 Dual
Tua Tagovailoa - 53 - 3 Dual
Mac Jones - 162 - 9 Pro
Brandon Wimbush - 60 - 4 Dual
Phil Jurkovec - 87 - 5 Dual
Tyler Buchner - 114 - 6 Dual
has elite arm talent and NOT recruiting a QB over 6-2 without mobility and a strong, accurate arm. I don't care how many stars they have as long as whoever rises to the top of the QB room has the tangibles to win a NC in the modern era. (Of course, if you're over 6-2 and satisfy both sets of criteria then you're a Trevor Lawrence or a Justin Fields and you're a 5-star.)
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with those two? And how did we do with Clausen?
The quarterback wasn't the problem in 2008 and 2009. When you have a substandard offensive line in 2007 and 2008, along with a terrible defense was single-handedly responsible for costing us three close games in 2008, and all of our lost games in 2009, that pretty much tells you the whole story.
Both of those years (08 and 09) should have had BCS bowl appearances.
Jon Tenuta's "jailbreak blitz every down" allowed even mediocre offenses to pick us apart. He ended up being the second worst defensive coordinator at ND of all time. I'll let you guess who the worst one was... ;)
Clausen was the most accurate passer I have seen and we moved the ball very efficiently, even with a mediocre line. We had a lot of toys with Tate and Floyd at receiver. The biggest mistake Weis made was not starting Evan Sharpley who was talented enough and a respected leader in 2007. We might have lost some games but it never would have been the disaster it became. In 2008 we lost to Michigan State and North Carolina in games we should have won and were moving the ball effectively but for some fumbles and in 2009 we got hosed at Michigan. Both those years could have started us on the right track if we won those games. But that is our own fault. Our defense cost us a lot during the Weis years.
Most of the great ones are not top 50 recruits.
Not about Clausen, he was an excellent QB in college. But about the need for a top QB. A decade ago Bama was winning NC's with not a lot of passing, game manager type QB's. Now anyone who wins the national championship has a top level QB. I do agree that a top level QB doesn't necessarily mean a top 5 rated QB in the recruiting rankings, but you do find a greater percentage of them there. I don't think we've had a QB ranked in the top 10 of overall recruits since Clausen. It would be interesting to see how well or poorly one would be developed. I think Wimbush was Kelly's highest rated QB by the recruiting rankings, but I think he was 'only' around #40.
Always thought Clausen got a tough deal in the NFL having Newton drafted to replace him after a year.
That is ranked in the Top 10 overall players. My point was strictly about rankings. You certainly need a QB who turns out to be great.
on their mechanics by Kelly.
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