Darin Eliot Position: Defensive Line/Recruiting Coordinator Second Year: Wyoming--1999

Email Coach Eliot

Darin Eliot is back for his second year of tutoring the Owls' defensive line in addition to coordinating the Owls' recruiting efforts.

In his first year on South Main, Eliot spearheaded the development of true freshmen Scott Solomon and Cheta Ozougwu into starters at the defensive end positions who went on to earn post-season recognition.

Eliot was named to his position on January 24, 2007, after spending the 2006 season as the linebacker coach at Tulsa where he developed linebacker Nick Bunting into the C-USA Defensive Player of the Year. Eliot also coached Nelson Coleman (All C-USA first-team coaches) and Chris Chamberlain (coaches' third-team) as the Golden Hurricane reached the Armed Forces Bowl.

Eilot is no stranger to David Bailiff, serving on his Texas State staff for three years prior to going to Tulsa. He coached the linebackers in 2004 and 2005 and the secondary in 2003. The Bobcats' defense ranked first in the Southland Conference and 20th nationally in total defense in 2005. Texas State won the Southland Conference Championship in 2005 and advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs. Eliot coached LB David Simmons to All-Conference honors in 2004 and 2005.

Prior to joining the Texas State coaching staff, Eliot spent one year at the University of Miami where he served as a graduate assistant coach and worked with the Hurricanes' secondary and special teams in 2002. In that season, Miami won the Big East Championship and played for the national championship in the Fiesta Bowl, finishing the season with a 12-1 record. The Hurricanes' secondary led the nation and set an NCAA record for fewest yards allowed per pass completion.

Eliot also served as a graduate assistant coach at the University of Houston for two seasons (2000-01), working primarily with the secondary and special teams. Before that, he was a student assistant coach at the University of Wyoming in 1998 and a graduate assistant working with the linebackers in 1999.

Eliot played linebacker at Wyoming for three years (1995-97). He earned his bachelor's degree in science and mathematics with a minor in zoology from Wyoming in 1999. He received a master's degree in sports administration from Houston in 2002.

He and his wife, Miekel, have one son, Dawson (3) and a daughter Drue (1).