Bobby Elliot Joins McCarney's Cyclone Football Staff

AMES, Iowa -- Bob Elliott, a former assistant head coach at Iowa under Hayden Fry and onetime secondary coach at Iowa State, is joining Cyclone head coach Dan McCarney's football staff as secondary coach. Elliott, who has been a special assistant to Iowa athletic director Bob Bowlsby over the last year, replaces Paul Rhoads, who left ISU to take the position of defensive coordinator at Pittsburgh.

"We are thrilled that Bobby is coming back to Iowa State," ISU head coach Dan McCarney said. "Bobby and I go back a long time, and he is universally respected as a coach and as a person. It's really a unique situation because we have been teammates, classmates and roommates. We have recruited together as coaches and we have recruited against each other as coaches. Bobby is a walking inspiration to everyone that knows him. The success that he has experienced at every stop in his coaching career underscores what a catch this is for our football program. Bobby is one of the best recruiters I have ever been around."

Elliott, a former academic All-American as an Iowa defensive back, was named assistant head coach under Hayden Fry at Iowa during the summer of 1998. He was the Hawkeyes' defensive coordinator from 1996-1998.

"I've always had a great relationship with Dan McCarney, and that includes a great respect for him as a coach," Elliott said. "Dan has Iowa State's football program further along than any time that I have been in Iowa. He has been able to attract an excellent staff and has replaced vacancies with proven coaches like (ISU offensive coordinator) Steve Loney. Dan's staff has recruited high quality student-athletes to Iowa State and it's an exciting time to be joining his the Cyclone football program."

The 46-year-old Elliott joined the Iowa staff in 1987 and coached the defensive secondary for eight seasons. He served as Executive Director of the University of Iowa Alumni Association for one year, not coaching during the 1995 football season.

The 1997 Hawkeye defense ranked among the best in the Big Ten and the nation. On the national level, Iowa ranked fourth in scoring defense and pass efficiency defense. The Hawk defense ranked third in the Big Ten in 1996. Iowa participated in the Alamo and Sun Bowls during Elliott's term as defensive coordinator.

As Iowa secondary coach from 1987 to 1995, Elliott's defensive backfield led the Big Ten Conference in pass defense in two seasons as Iowa participated in five bowl games and won the 1990 Big Ten title. Every one of the Iowa defensive backs that tutored under Elliott during that span, graduated.

Elliott, the son of former Iowa athletic director Bump Elliott, lettered three times as an Iowa defensive back in the early 1970's, where he was a teammate of Dan McCarney. Elliott earned his bachelor's degree in history from Iowa in 1975.

After one year as secondary coach at Kent (1977), Elliott spent three seasons at Ball State as defensive coordinator and secondary coach. His Cardinal defense led the nation in 1978.

He came to Ames as secondary coach at Iowa State under head coach Donny Duncan for the 1981 and 1982 seasons. His 1982 secondary at Iowa State led the Big Eight in pass defense and produced future professionals Ron Osborne and John Arnaud.

Elliott coached three of the all-time top five receivers in North Carolina history during four seasons (1983-1986) as the Tar Heels' wide receivers and tight ends coach.

In 1987, Elliott joined the Iowa football staff which included McCarney, who was the Hawkeyes' defensive line coach until leaving to join Barry Alvarez as defensive coordinator at Wisconsin after the 1989 season.

As a player at Iowa, Elliott was a 1975 academic All-American and Phi Beta Kappa. He earned an NCAA postgraduate scholarship and was a candidate for the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship. The three-year starter led the Hawkeyes in interceptions and passes defended as a senior.

Elliott was an eight-time letterwinner at Ann Arbor (Mich.) Pioneer and Iowa City West high schools. He was all-state in 1970 in Michigan.