Tony Elliott the right man to lead Virginia through "unbelievably sad" tragedy

Tony Elliott played and coached with the Tigers before taking the head coaching job at Virginia this past offseason. (USA TODAY/Scott Taetch)

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Tue Nov 15 07:00:05 GMT-04:00 2022

CLEMSON – Clemson players and coaches walked into the football facility Monday morning to the news that a shooting at the University of Virginia had claimed the lives of three football players, leaving all that heard to hurt for Tony Elliott and the Cavaliers.

Police have in custody a University of Virginia student and ex-UVA football player suspected of fatally shooting three current players and wounding two other people late Sunday at the school’s main campus in Charlottesville as a bus returned from a class field trip, school officials said.

Those killed were Cavaliers football players Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr. and D’Sean Perry, university President Jim Ryan said.

Elliott became the 41st head football coach in the program’s history last December after spending 11 seasons as an assistant on Dabo Swinney’s staff. In January of 2021, he was named the program’s assistant head coach and offensive coordinator. He previously served as the team’s co-offensive coordinator (2014-20) and the team’s running backs coach (2011-20).

While on staff at Clemson, Elliott had to cope with the deaths of two of his former running backs – CJ Fuller died of a blood clot after a surgical procedure and Tyshon Dye drowned in a lake near his home. He also dealt with the loss of his mother in an auto accident when he was just nine years old.

Now Elliott has to deal with another tragedy, and offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter texted his friend Monday morning.

"We heard about it first thing when we got here. Obviously, a tragic situation. Talked to Tony over text this morning and told him we're praying for him, his program, and especially the families affected,” Streeter said. “Just a really tough situation.”

Defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin agreed.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with all who are involved with that,” Goodwin said. “Just incredibly sad.”

Head coach Dabo Swinney said he thinks Elliott is the right person to deal with the tragedy.

"There are really no words. There is nothing that can prepare you for a situation like this, other than to be a person of faith and have something to just lean on," Swinney said during his call-in show Monday night. "That is what I told Tony, is that God took him there, and there is nobody more prepared or equipped to lead that group of young men in Virginia, or minister to those guys, than Tony Elliott. He is just a special person. That doesn't make it easy, because you can't prepare for that. But God has equipped him and will use Tony in a mighty way to serve those young men and the families and the community. I am praying for him, and I ask everyone to pray for Tony and the staff and especially those players and the families of those young men who lost their lives.

Quarterback DJ Uiagalelei called it "unbelievably sad."

“At the end of the day, I think it’s innocent people are dying, you know?” Uiagalelei said. “It’s like a catastrophic event where you don’t know that’s going to happen on that day. So sad.”

Using experience as his guide, Elliott is the right person to help guide Virginia through the grieving process.

“I know Tony is there for a reason,” Streeter said. “God put him there for a reason, and he has done an unbelievable job wherever he’s been just dealing with people. He’s a people guy, and he knows the right thing to say and how to move forward. But our thoughts and prayers are up for those families that are affected and obviously the program and Coach Elliott.”