Notre Dame promotes Clark Lea to defensive coordinator

Notre Dame hired an in-house candidate for its defensive coordinator opening.

Linebackers coach Clark Lea was promoted by head coach Brian Kelly, the school announced Tuesday in a statement.

Lea takes over for Mike Elko, who left to take the same job at Texas A&M.

"I cannot express how grateful I am to (university president) Father Jenkins, (athletic director) Jack Swarbrick and Brian Kelly for their confidence in my ability to take on this new role," Lea said. "I am indebted to them, and to the student-athletes that I have been blessed to work with over the past year. Without their commitment and belief in me, I realize that none of this would be possible.

"Notre Dame represents everything I want to be a part of in my career as an educator, and I am deeply humbled to be able to continue my work here."

Lea was in his first season in South Bend after coaching linebackers at Wake Forest for a year. Previous stops include Syracuse, Bowling Green and South Dakota State. The 2004 Vanderbilt graduate began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at UCLA.

"Clark has quickly established himself as a rising star in the coaching profession," Kelly said. "He immediately commands the respect of those around him, whether that be in a meeting room, on a practice field or in a prospective student-athlete's living room.

"Clark has demonstrated an ability to motivate, lead, teach and mentor through a positive teaching environment, while also developing the necessary traits of excellence in our players."

Elko spent one season as the Irish defensive coordinator before he was hired away by next Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher. Notre Dame finished 32nd in the country in scoring defense in 2017, giving up 21.8 points per game.