A little over a week after the unexpected retirement of Sione Po’uha, Utah’s football program has new defensive tackles coach.
Early Wednesday evening, Utah announced that former Ute All-American Luther Elliss has been hired.
Welcome home, Coach Elliss https://t.co/bafm7qXmA9
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) January 20, 2022
Elliss spent the last five seasons at the University of Idaho as the Vandals’ defensive line coach. This past season, his unit ranked 16th in the FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) in sacks per game (2.82), and two Vandal defensive linemen earned All-Big Sky honors.
A native of Mancos, Colo., Elliss was a consensus All-American and WAC Defensive Player of the Year at Utah in 1994. He also earned three all-conference selections during his collegiate career.
Elliss was selected 20th overall in the 1995 NFL Draft, and went on to star for the Detroit Lions for nine seasons. During his NFL career, Elliss started 119 of 134 regular-season games and had 331 tackles and 29 sacks. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1999 and 2000.
His son Jonah Elliss just finished his freshman season at Utah, and saw action in all 14 games and finished the year with 15 tackles, a sack and two fumble recoveries.
Elliss is the latest former Utah star to return to Salt Lake City. Former Utes’ running back Quinton Ganther was recently hired as the team’s running backs coach after the departure of Kiel McDonald.