RELEASE: NC State Announces Defensive Staff Changes
Raleigh, NC – NC State head football coach Dave Doeren has announced several changes to his coaching staff entering the 2025 season.
Veteran coach D.J. Eliot has been named defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Eliot brings coaching experience from the NFL, the ACC, the SEC, the Big 12 and the Pac-12.
Eliot, a 27-year coaching veteran, comes to NC State after spending last season as a senior analyst on Dave Aranda’s staff at Baylor. In 2023, he was the linebackers coach for the Philadelphia Eagles.
“D.J. is a great addition to our staff,” said Doeren. “He has worked with some of the greatest minds in college football, mostly recently with Dave Aranda at Baylor. He brings a wide variety of experience schematically and as a former NFL coach, he knows what it takes to develop players so they can make it to the next level.”
“I am excited to work at a program that has enjoyed consistent success and under a proven head coach like Dave Doeren,” said Eliot. “I remember what a tough place to play Carter-Finley Stadium was as an opponent and can’t wait to be a part of that atmosphere.”
In 2022, Eliot served as Temple's defensive coordinator/outside linebackers coach. With the Owls, Eliot directed a defense that ranked eighth in the country in sacks per game (3.2), ninth in tackles for loss per game (7.3) and 24th in passing yards allowed per game (198.6). Overall, Temple tallied 38 sacks, which more than doubled the defense's total from 2021 (15). Eliot also mentored linebacker Layton Jordan to a career-high nine sacks, which ranked second in the American Athletic Conference.
Prior to his time at Temple, Eliot spent two seasons as the defensive coordinator/linebackers coach at Kansas (2019-20). Seven players earned postseason honors during his tenure, including linebacker Kyron Johnson who was drafted and plays for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Eliot was the defensive coordinator/outside linebackers coach at Colorado for two seasons (2017-18), where he mentored third-round NFL draft pick Davion Taylor. In 2018, his unit finished third in the conference in opponent third-down conversion rate (36.4 pct.) and fourth in opponent yards per play (5.2), opponent red zone touchdown efficiency (51.6 pct.) and sacks (29, tied). During the 2017 season, he guided defensive back Isaiah Oliver to first-team All-Pac 12 accolades.
Eliot’s pedigree also includes a coaching stop at Kentucky, where he was DC and linebackers coach under Mark Stoops from 2013-16. He led 11 Wildcats to All-SEC recognition and in three of his four years with the school one of his linebackers recorded over 100 tackles in a season.
The Wildcats set a new school record for defensive touchdowns scored in a season with six in 2014, recording 23 takeaways that year. UK jumped 45 places in total defense rankings from 2013 to 2014 under Eliot, finishing in the top half of the nation in that statistic.
He coached the defensive ends at Florida State under head coach Jimbo Fisher from 2010-12. The year prior to his arrival, the Seminoles ranked 108th in total defense and rushing defense. However, by 2012, FSU ranked second nationally in total defense (254.1 yards per game) and sixth in scoring defense (14.7 points per game).
In his three seasons at Florida State (2010-12), the ‘Noles went 31-10 and he helped FSU tie for the national lead in sacks with 48 his first year there. In his second season FSU limited opponents to just 2.35 yards per carry, which led the nation in that category. His defensive ends on the 2012 team, Werner and Cornellius Carradine, combined for and 31 tackles for losses, including 24 sacks, when FSU finished 12-2. Werner went on to be named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year on his way to earning All-America honors.
During his time with Kentucky and FSU, he coached eight players who were drafted in the NFL, including three first-round picks - Bud Dupree, Josh Allen and Bjoern Werner and second-round picks Zedarius Smith, Tank Carradine and Mario Edwards, Jr.
From 2008-09, Eliot was the defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at Rice and he coached linebackers at Tulsa in 2006. He spent three seasons at Division I-AA (FCS) Texas State (2003-05), coaching linebackers and defensive backs.
Eliot got his start in coaching at his alma mater, Wyoming, as a graduate assistant in 1999. From there he went to Houston as a graduate assistant for two years before landing in a similar position at Miami for the 2002 season; the Hurricanes went 12-0 and were ranked No. 1 at the end of the regular season before falling 31-24 in double overtime to Ohio State in the BCS National Championship Game.
Eliot played linebacker at Wyoming for coach Dana Dimel and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in natural science in 1999. He earned his master’s degree in education from Houston in 2002.
He grew up in Edmond, Oklahoma, graduating from Edmond Memorial High School, where he lettered in football and basketball. He and his wife, the former Miekel Marsh, have one son, Dawson (19), and three daughters, Drue (17), Page (15), and Reace (10).
Joe DeForest, who has spent the past five years coaching NC State’s safeties has announced his retirement.
“Congratulations to Joe Deforest on his retirement,” said Doeren. “I want thank him for his contributions to our program and wish him and his family the best.”
“I want to thank Coach Doeren for allowing me to finish my career at NC State, which was my plan when I came here,” said DeForest. “I’m looking forward to spending more time with my family and watching Wolfpack football do great things.”
Freddie Aughtry-Lindsay, a Wolfpack alum who has coached for nine seasons in two different stints, has been promoted to co-defensive coordinator and will coach safeties and nickels.
“Freddie Aughtry-Lindsay has done a great job for us and has earned the respect of our players and coaches. I’m excited to watch him in this new role.”
Additionally, Elisha Shaw has been promoted to a full-time coaching position and will assist Charley Wiles with the defensive line. Brian Mitchell will continue to coach the cornerbacks.
Shaw joined the Wolfpack staff prior to the 2024 season, working as a defensive line assistant. He came to Raleigh after working as a graduate assistant at Georgia State where he worked with the defensive line and at Missouri Valley College, where he coached H-Backs.
One of the nation’s top defensive tackle prospects from Tucker High School, Shaw held offers from Georgia, Florida State, Arkansas, Auburn, and many other schools before an injury during his senior season left him unable to play football again. The NCAA approved a waiver to give him a non-football scholarship, and Shaw committed to Alabama to begin his coaching career.
He graduated from Alabama with a degree in environmental science in 2018.
“Coach Shaw has brought a wealth of passion and enthusiasm to our program and has done a great job with our d-line. He has a bright future as a coach.”