Notre Dame Needs To Be Proactive Trying To Lock Up Clark Lea
Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly has done a lot to change the perception of Notre Dame over the last 11 seasons, both the on-field and off-field perception.
That includes being more competitive when it comes to paying assistants, but it's time for Kelly and Notre Dame to make an even bigger splash in that department, and it's time for Notre Dame to do what it can to lock up defensive coordinator Clark Lea.
Lea has built the Notre Dame defense into arguably the best unit in the country, and the Irish are 32-3 since he replaced Mike Elko at defensive coordinator. Elko helped begin the turnaround with Lea as the linebacker coach, but since Lea took over running the defense the Irish have gone to a whole new level.
While the Irish offense has had its moments during the last three seasons, there is no debate that Notre Dame's success has been primarily fueled by a brilliant defense, and Lea is the backbone of it.
Just look at the numbers compared to the four years prior to Lea taking over the defense.
Scoring Defense
2018-20 - 17.7
2014-17 - 25.6
Total Defense
2018-20 - 326.0 yards per game / 4.7 yards per play
2014-17 - 381.3 yards per game / 5.4 yards per play
Run Defense
2018-20 - 130.1 yards per game / 3.6 yards per rush
2014-17 - 170.7 yards per game / 4.2 yards per rush
If you take out the one year with Elko running the defense the gap is even greater. Notre Dame's run defense in its last 14 games against non-option teams is also insanely good, with the Irish giving up just 89.3 rushing yards per game and 2.9 yards per rush.
When the offseason hits and teams start replacing head coaches you can be assured that Lea will be a hot commodity. He's not just a great defensive coordinator, his success coaching linebackers has been outstanding, and he's respected by his players.
Kelly isn't going to be at Notre Dame much longer. He recently signed an extension through the 2024 season, and the longer he can keep Lea around building and developing an elite defense the better.
Notre Dame needs to make an offer to Lea that makes him one of the top paid assistant coaches in the game. That means paying him at least $2 million per year. Elko is currently making $2.1 million per year and Clemson DC Brent Venables is at $2.2 million per year.
This offer needs to happen BEFORE teams start calling Lea about head coaching vacancies. Notre Dame must be proactive with this offer to Lea, and Kelly needs to be willing to fight to get Lea that kind of money.
Paying Lea that big of a salary won't guarantee that he stays at Notre Dame, but it will ensure he doesn't leave for another DC job, and it will narrow the number of schools he looks at for head coach openings. That kind of offer would allow Lea to be more picky, waiting for the right head coaching job, which we've seen with Clemson's coordinators in recent seasons.
If Notre Dame waits to address Lea getting a big boost in salary until after he starts looking or head coaching jobs, or starts getting offers, the odds of him leaving increase exponentially. That's why Kelly and Notre Dame must be proactive and keep the best part of the program going.
I'm not a fan of the head coach in waiting tags, and I'm even more nervous about someone with no head coaching experience replacing Kelly, so I personally wouldn't want to do that as part of the package to keep Lea, but I certainly understand why some would want to push for that.
Throwing some bonus money to defensive line coach Mike Elston would also be a good idea, as the Irish defensive line has been the backbone of Lea's defense.
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