Report: Notre Dame to hire Wake Forest's Mike Elko as DC

Notre Dame has found the man to fix its struggling defense, as Matt Fortuna of ESPN is reporting that the school will hire Wake Forest's Mike Elko as defensive coordinator.

Elko orchestrated the nation's 20th-ranked defense in 2016, helping to clinch the first bowl bid for the Demon Deacons since 2011. Dave Clawson's program ranked 121st in the country in terms of scoring offense, so Elko's defense is mainly the reason for the team's turnaround.

The 39-year-old will face a challenge in rectifying Notre Dame's defensive woes, as the troubled unit ranked 62nd in the nation in scoring defense and 102nd in turnovers gained. Brian Kelly fired coordinator Brian VanGorder after a 1-3 start to the season, and while the defense improved slightly under interim coach Greg Hudson, the school believes there are still significant improvements to be made.