Virginia hiring Clemson assistant Tony Elliott as their next head coach

Virginia has honed in on a tremendous prospect as their next coach. The Cavaliers will be hiring Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott to lead their program into the next era per Pete Thamel.

In the past, Elliott has been considered for a bevy of jobs — but the right fit didn’t come along until Virginia. Whether it was money, timing or fit, Elliott bided his time until he felt it was the right time to take the next step in his coaching career. Evidently, the Cavaliers are the next step.

Elliott is no stranger to Virginia, as his offense put up video game numbers against the Cavaliers in the 2019 ACC Championship Game and a showdown in 2020. In 2019, Elliott’s unit led Clemson to a 62-17 victory. Afterwards in 2020, the Tigers defeated the Cavaliers once again — the score reading 41-23.

Moreover, it’s apparent Elliott preferred the Cavaliers job to other available openings. To illustrate, it was reported that Elliott was also the front-runner for the Duke job, before spurning the Blue Devils to focus on Virginia. It should be fun when Elliott and Virginia visit Duke in 2022.

As for Elliott’s predecessor, Bronco Mendenhall ended his Virginia tenure after six seasons with a 36-38 record. Now, Tony Elliott will attempt to awaken a sleeping giant with the Cavaliers.

More on Tony Elliott

After playing wide receiver at Clemson from 2000-2003, Elliott got into coaching in 2006. After beginning his career at South Carolina State, Elliott took his talents to Furman in 2008. Then, he joined the Clemson staff in 2011.

After joining the Tigers as a running back coach, Elliott worked his way up to the team’s offensive coordinator. Two national championships and one Broyles Award later, it ended up being a happy marriage for Clemson and Elliott.

Elliott’s resume garnered interest from college and NFL job openings. In the past, he’s been linked to job openings like the Tennessee Volunteers. However, his love for Clemson proved too much to leave.

Now, Tony Elliott is finally moving on to a more prominent role — the head coach of Virginia. After tireless preparation and more than enough experience, Elliott will be a name to watch with the Cavaliers.