D.J. Eliot hired as new NC State defensive coordinator

NC Statehas hired D.J. Eliot as the school's new defensive coordinator, the school announced Tuesday.

Eliot has previously held the same title at Colorado, Kentucky, Kansas and Temple.

He was most recently a linebackers coach for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023 and served as a consultant to Baylor last season. He has a significant background in simulated pressures as a scheme specialty.

"D.J. is a great addition to our staff," head coach Dave Doeren said in a statement. "He has worked with some of the greatest minds in college football, mostly recently with Dave Aranda at Baylor. He brings a wide variety of experience schematically and as a former NFL coach, he knows what it takes to develop players so they can make it to the next level."

Eliot, 48, also worked as an assistant at Florida State under Jimbo Fisher from 2010 to 2012, giving him ACC experience, and knowledge of the league, albeit in a former format.

The hire adds another change to NC State's staff for next season. Earlier in the day, and less than 48 hours after the season ended, NC State fired offensive coordinator Robert Anae and replaced him with quarterbacks coach Kurt Roper. Also, Gavin Locklear was named tight ends coach.

The Wolfpack just wrapped up a disappointing 6-7 season that featured a 26-21 loss to East Carolina on Saturday in the Go Bowling Military Bowl. In the final minute of that loss, members of the Pirates and Wolfpack got into a brawl that did not put the program in the best light.

"I'm embarrassed as a coach," NC State head coach Dave Doeren said after the loss. "I know our players are, too. That is not how people of this program, the players of this program, staff of this program, want anything to do with something like that. To me, it was a terrible response to something that happened to one of our players, and there's no excuses for it. So I apologize to ECU and their team for the way we responded."

East Carolina and NC State will open next season against each other, on Aug. 30.