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Dave
Elliott
Assistant Coach
Fifth Season
(Michigan, 1975)
The Penguins'
wide receivers have flourished the past four seasons under assistant coach Dave
Elliott. Elliott is in his fifth season as an assistant on the Youngstown State
staff as the wide receivers coach.
In 2007, the program had its first-ever first-team
All-Gateway selection at the position in the versatile Ferlando Williams.
Williams finished the year with a team-high 42 passes for 499 yards. He also
rushed for 464 yards on 72 carries and had nine touchdowns. Senior Rory Berry
had a career-best 39 receptions for 473 yards while Da'Michael Horne had a
career-high 16 grabs.
During the playoff run in 2006, Elliott's group faced some retooling and numerous
questions, but the wide receivers stepped up time and again to have a
very productive season.
Leading the way was honorable-mention all-league pick T.J.
Peterson who caught 53 passes for 767 yards and seven touchdowns. Peterson's
total number of grabs was the highest total by a Guin since 1999 and the second
most in a season since 1993. His yardage total was also the most by an
individual since 1999 and second most in the past 12 campaigns. He became just
the third wide out to haul in seven touchdown passes in a year since 1995 as
well.
Highlighting his season was a school-record-tying 10 grabs in
the first round playoff win over James Madison. Berry, who had zero receptions in three years with
the program entering the '06 slate, caught 31 passes for 366 yards and three
touchdowns.
In 2005, four different wide receivers caught at least 18
passes, marking the first time that much balance has occurred at the position
during the same season in school history.
Honorable-Mention All-Gateway and Hula Bowl selection Kyle
Smith led the way with 37 receptions for 482 yards and five touchdowns. Smith
established a new school record by catching a pass in 30 consecutive games
played. Jameson Evans had 27 grabs, Peterson finished with 21 and Damian
Wright had 18 as the quartet combined for 103 receptions, 1,449 yards and 12
touchdowns. Smith finished with more than 400 yards for the third straight year
(482 in 2005, 444 in 2004 and 530 in 2003) becoming the first wideout since
Renauld Ray 1997-99 to accomplish the feat.
In his first year in 2004, the YSU receivers benefited
greatly as a group posting their most successful campaign in six seasons.
Matt Rycraft led the team in receptions with 35 for 325 yards
and Smith was the leader in yards with 444 on 28 catches. Smith was named an
honorable-mention All-Gateway selection. Rycraft's 35 receptions were the most
since Giles' 62 passes in 1999 before Smith topped him in 2005.
Elliott, who spent three seasons at Central Connecticut State
before coming to YSU prior to 2004, has extensive collegiate coaching experience
having spent time as a head coach at Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa,
while also serving as an assistant at Toledo, Washington State, Iowa State and
Winona State. Altogether, he has more than 25 years of collegiate coaching
experience.
At Central Connecticut State, he spent three years as the
defensive coordinator working with the linebackers and coordinating the teams
punt returns.
He went to CCSU after spending five years as the head coach
at then-Division II Morningside College (1996-2000). Before taking the reigns at
Morningside, he had a one-season stint with Winona (Minn.) State as the
assistant head coach and offensive coordinator.
Elliott spent a good portion of his coaching career under Jim
Walden at both Washington State and Iowa State from 1979 through 1994. For the
Cyclones, he was the wide receivers coach under Walden from 1987 through 1994.
At ISU, he was involved in coordinating the passing game and was in charge of
organizing summer football camps.
The two first teamed up on a full-time basis at Washington
State beginning in 1979. For the Cougars, Elliott served as the inside
linebackers coach and coordinated punt return and kick-off teams along with
organizing summer camps.
Before heading to Pullman, Elliott was the defensive backs
coach at Toledo from 1977 through 1978 under Coach Chuck Stobart. While coaching
for the Rockets, Elliott was the position coach for current YSU volleyball coach
Joe Conroy.
Elliott served as a part-time assistant at his alma mater,
Michigan, in 1977 working under head coach Bo Schembechler and future Wolverine
head coach Gary Moeller with the linebackers. Before returning to Michigan, he
was a graduate assistant coach from 1975-76 at Miami (Fla.) where he worked
closely with the defensive backs under Walden.
He graduated from Michigan in 1975 with a degree in Physical
Education. For the Wolverines, he was a two-year starter as a defensive back
while being a member of four Big Ten Championship squads.
Dave and his wife Peggy, have two daughters, Catherine and
Christina. |