Elliott leading candidate to replace Powell - meets with Chad Morris

As a senior Elliott caught 23 passes for 286 yards and a touchdown.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Wed Jan 12 12:52:12 GMT-04:00 2011

CLEMSON – TigerNet has learned that Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney is set to put the final piece in place for his coaching staff, and that former Clemson player Tony Elliott has emerged as the leading candidate to replace the running backs coach.

TigerNet has learned that contact has been made and one source has indicated that a hiring could happen shortly, with Elliott in the lead for the position. ALSO - Elliott is in the WestZone right now (1:43 p.m.) meeting with new offensive coordinator Chad Morris.

Elliott has spent the past three seasons coaching wide receivers at Furman.

Elliott is a native of James Island, S.C., and attended Air Force Prep for one year before turning down an appointment to the Air Force Academy to enroll at Clemson in January of 1999. After joining the Tiger program, he saw action as a member of special teams and at wide receiver, lettering all four years. In 2003 he was selected team captain, a rare accomplishment for a former walk-on, and that same year was named Clemson’s most respected player in a poll of his teammates conducted by the Anderson Independent.

As a senior he caught 23 passes for 286 yards and a touchdown in helping Clemson to a 9-4 record that included a 27-14 Peach Bowl victory over nationally sixth-ranked Tennessee.

He twice captured CoSIDA Academic All-Distrist honors and in 2003 was presented both Clemson’s Hustle and Dedication Awards. He graduated with degree in industrial engineering with a team high 3.55 grade point average and was the recipient of the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Weaver-James-Corrigan Post-Graduate Scholarship.

Following his tenure at Clemson he worked two years with Michelin North America before accepting a position as wide receivers coach at South Carolina State in August of 2006.

He is married to the former Tamika Whitner of Spartanburg, S.C.

UPDATED: TigerNet spoke with Tony Elliott a few moments ago, and Elliott said "No comment" and that he has been instructed to not comment on the job and has also been instructed to not comment on what position if any he will coach at Clemson.