Virginia Cavaliers enlist Clemson’s offensive coordinator Tony Elliott to serve as head football coach, sources say

Clemson tiger Offensive coordinator Tony Elliott has emerged as the leading candidate to be the next head football coach for Virginia Cavaliersand a deal could be finalized as early as Wednesday, sources told ESPN.

Elliott traveled to Charlottesville, Virginia, on Wednesday to meet with Virginia athletic director Carla Williams, sources told ESPN’s Andrea Adelson.

Earlier this week, he met with Duke officials about his job as the Blue Devils head coach. A full member of Dabo Swinney’s staff since 2011, Elliott was the Tigers’ co-offensive coordinator on their 2016 and 2018 national championship teams. He was named a 2017 Broyles Award winner as the country’s top assistant coach.

Elliott has been the Tigers’ main attacking player for the past seven seasons. He also coached tight ends and back runs during his time at Clemson.

Penn State co-defensive coordinator Anthony Poindexter, a US safety officer in Virginia and a former assistant there, told ESPN that he is no longer a candidate to be head coach at his alma mater. me. He is completing his first year at Penn State.

“Time is everything for both sides,” Poindexter wrote in a text message. “There will be a day, but I’ll stay at Penn State.”

Elliott, who also served as Swinney’s assistant head coach, played at Clemson and was picked up when other schools pursued him. He turned down the Tennessee head coach job last season and has also been mentioned in connection with the Auburn and South Carolina head coach opening a year ago.

The Cavaliers are looking for a replacement for Bronco Mendenhall, who plans to step down as head coach after the Cavaliers’ disappointing game.

If the deal between Virginia and Elliott is finalized, that means Swinney will lose both of its coordinators this year. Defensive coordinator Brent Venables was hired earlier this week as the head coach of Oklahoma. Sources told ESPN that Clemson senior defensive assistant Wes Goodwin is the favorite to replace Venables in the coordinator/co-coordinator role and an official announcement is expected on Wednesday. Six.

Clemson quarterback coach Brandon Streeter is expected to receive strong consideration to replace Elliott as the Tigers’ offensive coordinator.