Elson Joins UofL's Defensive Staff
February 10, 2026 | Football
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — David Elson, former head coach at Western Kentucky University, has joined the University of Louisville football staff as a defensive assistant, head coach Jeff Brohm announced Tuesday.
A veteran coach with more than 30 years of collegiate coaching experience, including seven seasons as the head coach at Western Kentucky (2003–09), Elson arrives at Louisville following one season at Indiana State.
Before his time with the Sycamores, Elson spent two seasons at Wake Forest as a defensive analyst, following two years at Purdue. He served as a quality control coach for the Boilermakers in 2021 and coached linebackers in 2022. That season, Purdue forced 21 turnovers — ranking 38th nationally — and finished 12th nationally in defensive touchdowns (3) while winning the Big Ten West Division for the first time in program history.
Elson was the defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach at Marian University in 2020 after three seasons (2017–19) leading the defense at Ball State. Under his direction, Ball State paced the Mid-American Conference with 15 interceptions and 24 turnovers gained in 2019, ranking among the top 15 nationally in both categories.
Over the course of his career, Elson has coordinated defenses at multiple programs, including Western Illinois, Southern Illinois, New Mexico State, and Western Kentucky. He also served a season in defensive quality control at Indiana.
As Western Kentucky's defensive coordinator in 2002, Elson helped lead the Hilltoppers to the Football Championship Subdivision National Championship. Two years later, as head coach, he was a finalist for the 2004 Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year Award.
A 1994 graduate of Butler University, Elson was a three-year letterwinner and two-year starter at safety, helping the Bulldogs capture conference titles in 1991 and 1992 and advance to the 1992 NCAA Division II Playoffs. He earned his master's degree from Southern Illinois in 1995 while serving as a graduate assistant — his first coaching position — before joining the Western Kentucky staff in 1996.
A veteran coach with more than 30 years of collegiate coaching experience, including seven seasons as the head coach at Western Kentucky (2003–09), Elson arrives at Louisville following one season at Indiana State.
Before his time with the Sycamores, Elson spent two seasons at Wake Forest as a defensive analyst, following two years at Purdue. He served as a quality control coach for the Boilermakers in 2021 and coached linebackers in 2022. That season, Purdue forced 21 turnovers — ranking 38th nationally — and finished 12th nationally in defensive touchdowns (3) while winning the Big Ten West Division for the first time in program history.
Elson was the defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach at Marian University in 2020 after three seasons (2017–19) leading the defense at Ball State. Under his direction, Ball State paced the Mid-American Conference with 15 interceptions and 24 turnovers gained in 2019, ranking among the top 15 nationally in both categories.
Over the course of his career, Elson has coordinated defenses at multiple programs, including Western Illinois, Southern Illinois, New Mexico State, and Western Kentucky. He also served a season in defensive quality control at Indiana.
As Western Kentucky's defensive coordinator in 2002, Elson helped lead the Hilltoppers to the Football Championship Subdivision National Championship. Two years later, as head coach, he was a finalist for the 2004 Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year Award.
A 1994 graduate of Butler University, Elson was a three-year letterwinner and two-year starter at safety, helping the Bulldogs capture conference titles in 1991 and 1992 and advance to the 1992 NCAA Division II Playoffs. He earned his master's degree from Southern Illinois in 1995 while serving as a graduate assistant — his first coaching position — before joining the Western Kentucky staff in 1996.
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