Tony Elliott is not distracted by the buzz
ACC Championship Special - 2 Months for $2 Bucks
Clemson assistant Tony Elliott is in the midst of another great season as the Tigers' co-offensive coordinator and other programs continue to take notice, including several conference foes.
Over the past few years, Elliot’s profile has been bolstered by Clemson’s success since he and his former teammate at Clemson, Jeff Scott took over the offense back in 2014 for the final game of the season, a 40-6 win over Oklahoma in the Russell Athletic Bowl.
Since that win, Elliott has helped lead the Tigers to four very successful seasons going 14-1, 14-1, 12-2, 12-0. Clemson’s 53-4 record, combined with a resume that includes three trips to the College Football Playoff, and a national title, has made Elliott the top target for Georgia Tech following Paul Johnson’s decision to retire according to some outlets.
Earlier this week, Elliott’s name was also in the mix at North Carolina, and he addressed those rumors. The positon has since been filled by Mack Brown, who makes starts his second stint with the Tarheels. Asked about a move to Chapel Hill or other opportunites, Elliott was quick to point out his commitment to the 2018 Clemson Tigers.
“I really haven't thought about it. I kinda hate this time of year from that standpoint. I’ve got an unbelievable group of seniors. I’ve got an unbelievable group of running backs. We’ve got an unbelievable group on offense who have been extremely committed to this program.”
Elliott also mentoned the loyalty that he’s seen from the team and it is importannt to him to give that back to his guys.
“They’ve been unselfish, loyal, and committed. I don't want to be a distraction in any sense of the matter to those guys. That's the Lord's plan. The Lord's timing,” Elliott noted.
Previously, Dabo Swinney had high praise for Elliott noting that he has what it takes:
“What are you looking for in a head coach?” Swinney said of Elliott. “Character? Intelligence? And commitment? And loyalty? Knowledge? Someone who loves players and is going to do things the right way. He’s a pretty good candidate.”
Back in August, Yahoo Sports ranked Tony Elliott as the top assistant in America that was ready for a head-coaching gig. Last season he dealt with interest from UCF and Ole Miss, who had to fill head coaching positions this past offseason.
Here's what Yahoo Sports had to say about Elliott at the time:
Years removed from punching the clock as an engineer, Elliott retains many of the analytical skills he learned from his degree. When game-planning and making in-game adjustments, his engineering mind can calculate formations and tendencies to come up with the right play call. When looking at his next coaching move, Elliott’s perspective will mesh that analytical outlook with his family one, as his priority is ensuring he can run a program at a level that justifies a staff to entrust their families to join him. “One man can’t run a program,” Elliott said. “It’s the people within a program, so I want to make sure that I’m putting those people in a position to be successful.”
Ironically, on Monday, Elliott mentioned his family, specifically his two young sons being born in the area as just another reason he loves Clemson. In addittion to that, Elliott has an engineerring degree from Clemson and a special relationshiop with Swinney, as shown in this ESPN feature ‘Sycamore Street’.
"I owe that to this program. I owe that to Coach Swinney, the staff, and these players that they get my best. My focus is on Clemson football. I'm at home here. My boys were born here. I love it here, so I really haven't given much thought to what lies beyond next week."
Obviosuly, Elliott is more than prepared to be a head coach, but there is a special quality to Swinney’s program. The values of the Tiger program could ultimately be more than enough to influence Elliott and other members of the staff to stay the course in Tiger Town. After all, the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.