University of Virginia names Tony Elliott as its next football coach

Tony Elliott has been hired as the University of Virginia’s 41st head football coach. The official news of his selection as the Fralin Family Head Football Coach arrived Friday afternoon, setting social media ablaze, as Charlottesville is now home to one of the more respected names in the Atlantic Coast Conference and beyond.

Elliott, Clemson University’s offensive coordinator since 2014 and assistant head coach since January, helped the Tigers to national titles in 2017 and 2019, plus six ACC championships and four appearances in the College Football Playoff.

In 2017, he won the Broyles Award, an annual accolade that goes to the best assistant coach in college football. Past winners include some of the most successful head coaches in the game, including University of Southern California’s Lincoln Riley and the University of Georgia’s Kirby Smart.

“This is an awesome opportunity for the University of Virginia as we welcome Coach Tony Elliott into the UVA football family,” UVA athletics director Carla Williams said. “Coach Elliott is a winner in every sense of the word. He is known for his character, humility, work ethic, skill set and passion for education. Coach Elliott is an exceptional leader of young men and he is highly regarded across college football as a talented teacher and coach. He is an outstanding recruiter who has been responsible for recruiting, signing and developing scholar-athletes while competing for and winning championships.

“We aspire to elevate UVA football in a manner that is consistent with the University’s core mission and purpose. Coach Elliott understands and embraces this amazing opportunity to do something really special at the University of Virginia. I am thrilled for the young men in our football program. We are honored to welcome him, his wife Tamika and their sons, A.J. and Ace, to Virginia.”

As a player at Clemson, Elliott worked his way up from a walk-on to a team captain by his senior season. He was a first-team Academic All-ACC selection, earning his degree in industrial engineering.

Elliott will replace current head coach Bronco Mendenhall following the Cavaliers’ Dec. 29 matchup with Southern Methodist University in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl at Fenway Park in Boston.