David Elson Joins Ball State Football Staff as Defensive Coordinator
February 14, 2017 | Football
MUNCIE, Ind. – Ball State football head coach Mike Neu has announced that David Elson, head coach at Western Kentucky from 2003-09, has joined the coaching staff as the defensive coordinator. Elson was most recently the defensive coordinator at Western Illinois.
"We are thrilled to have coach Elson join the Ball State football family and return home to Indiana," Neu said. "His background as a defensive backs coach and experience as a head coach and defensive coordinator will be a huge benefit for our program. I know he is passionate about being here for the long haul and ready to help us recruit inside the Hoosier state."
Elson, a native of Indianapolis, Indiana, led WKU in the transition from the NCAA Division I Football Championship Series (FCS) to Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). He posted a winning record in five of his seven seasons as head coach and was a finalist for the 2004 Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year (FCS) award. Prior to taking over as Western Kentucky's head coach, he served as the defensive coordinator under Jack Harbaugh and helped the Hilltoppers win the 2002 NCAA FCS national championship.
Elson's 2005 Western Kentucky team reached No. 1 in the FCS national polls twice during the season. Both the 2003 and 2004 WKU squads ended the season ranked among the top 15 FCS teams nationally.
In four of the last five years, Elson has served as a defensive coordinator at New Mexico State (2012-13), Southern Illinois (2015) and Western Illinois (2016).
Western Illinois picked up a 28-23 win at Northern Illinois in 2016 thanks in large part to the WIU defense stopping the Huskies on downs inside the 20-yard line on each of NIU's final two drives.
Elson, who has more than 20 years coaching experience, has also worked at Southern Illinois (1994-95, 2014-15), Indiana (2010) and Franklin-Simpson High School (2011) in Kentucky.
A 1994 graduate of Butler, Elson was a three-year football letter winner and started at strong safety his final two seasons. The Bulldogs captured their conference championship in both his sophomore and junior years. He went on to earn a master's degree from Southern Illinois in 1995.
Ball State opens its 2017 schedule with four consecutive non-conference games. The Cardinals kick off the season on Sept. 2 at Big Ten foe Illinois before hosting UAB and Tennessee Tech in back-to-back weekends on Sept. 9 and Sept. 16. Ball State winds down its non-conference slate on Sept. 23 at two-time defending Conference USA champion Western Kentucky.
For the most up-to-date news on the Ball State football team, please follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateFB and @BSUCoachNeu.
TRANSACTIONS
Ball State University – Announced the hiring of David Elson as the football team's defensive coordinator.
"We are thrilled to have coach Elson join the Ball State football family and return home to Indiana," Neu said. "His background as a defensive backs coach and experience as a head coach and defensive coordinator will be a huge benefit for our program. I know he is passionate about being here for the long haul and ready to help us recruit inside the Hoosier state."
Elson, a native of Indianapolis, Indiana, led WKU in the transition from the NCAA Division I Football Championship Series (FCS) to Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). He posted a winning record in five of his seven seasons as head coach and was a finalist for the 2004 Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year (FCS) award. Prior to taking over as Western Kentucky's head coach, he served as the defensive coordinator under Jack Harbaugh and helped the Hilltoppers win the 2002 NCAA FCS national championship.
Elson's 2005 Western Kentucky team reached No. 1 in the FCS national polls twice during the season. Both the 2003 and 2004 WKU squads ended the season ranked among the top 15 FCS teams nationally.
In four of the last five years, Elson has served as a defensive coordinator at New Mexico State (2012-13), Southern Illinois (2015) and Western Illinois (2016).
Western Illinois picked up a 28-23 win at Northern Illinois in 2016 thanks in large part to the WIU defense stopping the Huskies on downs inside the 20-yard line on each of NIU's final two drives.
Elson, who has more than 20 years coaching experience, has also worked at Southern Illinois (1994-95, 2014-15), Indiana (2010) and Franklin-Simpson High School (2011) in Kentucky.
A 1994 graduate of Butler, Elson was a three-year football letter winner and started at strong safety his final two seasons. The Bulldogs captured their conference championship in both his sophomore and junior years. He went on to earn a master's degree from Southern Illinois in 1995.
Ball State opens its 2017 schedule with four consecutive non-conference games. The Cardinals kick off the season on Sept. 2 at Big Ten foe Illinois before hosting UAB and Tennessee Tech in back-to-back weekends on Sept. 9 and Sept. 16. Ball State winds down its non-conference slate on Sept. 23 at two-time defending Conference USA champion Western Kentucky.
For the most up-to-date news on the Ball State football team, please follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateFB and @BSUCoachNeu.
TRANSACTIONS
Ball State University – Announced the hiring of David Elson as the football team's defensive coordinator.
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