Mike Elston Is Not A Stranger To Calling Plays On Defense
Notre Dame defensive line coach Mike Elston has called defensive plays in the past, so doing so in the Fiesta Bowl won't be a new experience.
He did it for eight games in 2016 after Brian VanGorder was fired four games into the season. Elston becomes the play-caller under a different set of circumstances this time.
He’s replacing Marcus Freeman in that department after Freeman was elevated to head coach because Kelly left to take the head job at LSU.
Elston is looking forward to having a slightly different sideline role for this game.
Elston could be a candidate to replace Freeman as the permanent defensive coordinator. Notre Dame (11-1) plays Oklahoma State (11-2) on Saturday at 1 p.m. EST in the Fiesta Bowl.
“It’s fun to get back into that and be a part of it," he said. “It’s a collective effort,” he said. “Everybody is going to have input. It's certainly not anything I can do on my own. We have an incredible staff and a very talented defensive staff.”
The game plan was developed in collaboration with the other coaches, and there won’t be major changes to the way the game is called.
The goal is to stay within the game plan and use the same play-calling principles that Freeman used during the year. Elston had input during the season while working with Freeman.
“I might want to see a pass rush, a stunt, some pressure from the backend (during a game),” he said. “Obviously, I’ll be the lead man making the calls but with input from (defensive backs) coach Mike Mickens and Chris O’Leary and even Coach Freeman. It’s great.”
Elston said the goal since Kelly left has been to try to maintain what was built during the season.
There will be some changes after the season finishes.
“It’s been the same, “ Elston said of how the defense is structured. “Coach Freeman has taken other roles and duties as the head football coach. He’s not in the defensive staff room as much he would like. We don't make any decisions schematically that would be earth-shattering without running them by him. We want this defense and this game plan to reflect what it has all season, which is his vision. Much of it is the same but minus coach Freeman at times.”
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