After a snag in negotiations on Thursday left Clemson fans wondering if Tony Elliott might stick around Death Valley, the Cavaliers announced they had hired the former Offensive Coordinator to take over the Head Coaching position, replacing Bronco Mendenhall who stepped down unexpectedly earlier in the month.
Elliott, who had been on Clemson's staff since 2011, beginning as running backs coach and was promoted to his former position after the departure of Chad Morris in 2014, was announced early Friday afternoon, according to ESPN and college football reporter Brett McMurphy.
Three years after elevating to the position of offensive coordinator, Elliott won the Frank Broyles award in 2017 as the top assistant coach in college football.
Elliott's name has been connected to multiple head coaching jobs since receiving that award, but he turned down most opportunities. Virginia, while sharing a conference with Clemson, will play in the opposite division, limiting the number of times Elliott will play his former employer and mentor, Dabo Swinney.
Announced the same day as the hiring was a $10.3M transfer of funds from the university endowment to the Athletic Department, earmarked to be applied towards the construction of a new $65M football facility.
This marks the most recent event in a tumultuous week for Clemson, as well. A week before Elliott's departure, former Defensive Coordinator Brent Venables was announced as the new Head Coach at Oklahoma, just days before Athletic Director Dan Radakovich announced his withdrawal to take the same position with the University of Miami.
While waiting for Radakovich's assistant, Swinney will now need to replace both coordinators, while also preparing his team for their bowl game against Iowa State in Orlando in a few weeks.
