Report: Stoops to bring Eliot from FSU to fill defensive coordinator position
December 4, 2012
Staff report
Florida State defensive ends coach D.J. Eliot has agreed to become the UK defensive coordinator, according to Pete Roussel of Coachingsearch.com.
A UK Athletics spokesman said the school could not confirm any hirings per school policy.
Eliot would be the first addition to new head coach Mark Stoops’ initial staff. Eliot coached at Florida State under Stoops as the defensive ends coach, arriving at Florida State in 2010, as did new head UK coach Mark Stoops.
Eliot coached All-ACC First Team linemen Bjoern Werner and Cornelius Carradine the past three seasons. Werner was also named the 2012 ACC Defensive Player of the Year. FSU allowed its opponents to run for an average of just 2.35 yards per carry in 2012, which led the nation.
Prior to his time with the Seminoles, Eliot coached at Rice, where he served as defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator from 2007 to 2009.
Eliot was a part of the 2002 Miami (Fla.) coaching staff as a graduate assistant. Also on that staff was Stoops, who served as the Hurricanes’ secondary coach from 2001 to 2003.
Eliot played at Wyoming from 1995 to 1997 at linebacker before injuries forced him into a student assistant role his senior season.
Eliot’s experience led him to a graduate assistant role in 1999.