Jared Elliott Named Illinois Tight Ends Coach

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Jared Elliott was named Illinois' tight ends coach, head coach Bret Bielema announced Friday. Elliott's contract is pending approval by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees. 

Elliott joins the Fighting Illini with 18 years of collegiate coaching experience, including four seasons as a head coach and seven years in coordinator roles. He most recently served as the tight ends coach at New Mexico during the 2025 season, where he helped the Lobos to an appearance in the Rate Bowl. 

"I am excited to welcome Coach Elliott and his family to the Illinois famILLy," said Bielema. "He brings a great reputation in the coaching community and a history of producing high-level tight ends. His experiences as a head coach, coordinator, and position coach will be an immediate asset to our players and staff."

"My family and I are beyond grateful and blessed to join the Illinois football famILLy," said Elliott. "We will pour everything we have into our players, this program, and the Champaign community. It was very clear throughout this process that the quality of people that Coach Bielema has built the program on is second to none, and we can't wait to be a part of it." 

In 2025, Elliott coached New Mexico tight end Dorian Thomas to All-Mountain West First Team honors after posting 560 receiving yards on 56 receptions, the third-most receptions by a tight end in the FBS. He also coached the rise of freshman Cade Keith, who had 25 receptions and was the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week and Mountain West Freshman of the Week following his 101-yard receiving game against Utah State.

Prior to New Mexico, Elliott spent three seasons at Ball State as offensive passing game coordinator/tight ends coach (2022), co-offensive coordinator/tight ends coach (2023), and offensive coordinator/tight ends coach (2024). Elliott coached TE Tanner Koziol to 2022 Freshman All-American honors, then back-to-back All-MAC selections in 2023 and 2024. He helped Koziol make a huge leap from 2023 to 2024, going from 295 and three touchdowns to 839 yards and eight touchdowns, while developing into one of the top tight ends in college football.

Elliott coordinated Ball State's 2024 offense to average nearly 26 points per game, throw for 245 yards per game, and total 4,174 yards and 38 touchdowns with rookie quarterback Kadin Semonza, the 2024 MAC Freshman of the Year. Six Cardinals earned a spot on the All-MAC teams, including three offensive linemen under Elliott's leadership as offensive coordinator. 

Prior to Ball State, Elliott was on staff at Western Illinois for six years from 2016-21, including the final four seasons as head coach, which included leading Western Illinois through the COVID-19 crisis. Before becoming the head coach from 2018-21, he served as the quarterbacks coach and co-offensive coordinator from 2017-18.

In his six seasons at Western Illinois, the program totaled 16 All-Missouri Valley Conference selections, 13 honorable-mention selections, six FCS All-Americans, and qualified for the 2017 FCS playoffs. Five of his players reached the professional ranks, including three who made it to the NFL: Lance Lenoir (Buffalo Bills), LaCale London (Chicago Bears), and Khalen Saunders (Kansas City Chiefs). Elliott also mentored two players who went on to play in the CFL: Jaelon Acklin (Hamilton Tiger-Cats) and Sean McGuire (Winnipeg Blue Bombers).

Over his six seasons, Western Illinois' passing offense consistently ranked among the FCS leaders and the best in WIU history. QB Sean McGuire broke the school's career records with 9,819 total passing yards, 223.2 yards per game, 771 completions, and 72 touchdowns, while QB Connor Sampson broke the program record for completion percentage (63.3%). WR Lance Lenoir set career marks with 273 receptions, 3,792 receiving yards, and 28 touchdowns when Jaelon Acklin set a single-season record of 1,369 receiving yards and 114.1 yards per game in 2017.

During his final season as head coach in 2021, Western Illinois set program records for passing yards per game (301.0) and completions (315). 

Elliott rejoined Western Illinois from Carthage College, where he served as the co-offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach, and recruiting coordinator from 2013-15. He helped Carthage improve its win totals in all three seasons, after previously coaching the quarterbacks at Western Illinois in 2012. 

He also has experience as the wide receivers coach at Missouri Southern from 2008-09) and a graduate assistant/quarterbacks coach at Miami (Ohio) from 2010-11. He helped Miami to the 2010 GoDaddy.com Bowl.

Elliott played quarterback and wide receiver at Miami (Ohio) from 2004-07, contributing to three MAC championships. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in kinesiology and health from Miami (Ohio) in 2008.

Elliott and his wife, Jamie, have four children: Ava, Sadie, Clara, and Austin.

Coaching Career