David Elson is in his first season coaching the Purdue linebackers.
Elson, who served as the head coach at Western Kentucky for seven seasons (2003-09), joined the Boilermaker staff as a quality control coach in August 2021 after spending 2020 as the defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach at Marion University in Indianapolis.
Prior to his lone season at Marion, Elson spent three years (2017-19) at Ball State as the Cardinals' defensive coordinator. BSU led the Mid-American Conference in interceptions (15) and turnovers gained (24) during his final season in Muncie. Both stats cracked the top 15 nationally.
Elson has served as the defensive coordinator at a number of stops during his coaching career, including: Western Illinois, Southern Illinois, New Mexico State and WKU. He has experience in the Big Ten Conference, spending one season as defensive quality control at Indiana.
With Elson calling the defense throughout the 2002 season, Western Kentucky captured the Football Championship Subdivision National Championship. Two years later, he was a finalist for the 2004 Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year Award as the Hilltoppers' head coach.
Elson, who served as the head coach at Western Kentucky for seven seasons (2003-09), joined the Boilermaker staff as a quality control coach in August 2021 after spending 2020 as the defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach at Marion University in Indianapolis.
Prior to his lone season at Marion, Elson spent three years (2017-19) at Ball State as the Cardinals' defensive coordinator. BSU led the Mid-American Conference in interceptions (15) and turnovers gained (24) during his final season in Muncie. Both stats cracked the top 15 nationally.
Elson has served as the defensive coordinator at a number of stops during his coaching career, including: Western Illinois, Southern Illinois, New Mexico State and WKU. He has experience in the Big Ten Conference, spending one season as defensive quality control at Indiana.
With Elson calling the defense throughout the 2002 season, Western Kentucky captured the Football Championship Subdivision National Championship. Two years later, he was a finalist for the 2004 Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year Award as the Hilltoppers' head coach.