SALT LAKE CITY-Late Wednesday, Utah head football coach Kyle Whittingham announced the hiring of former Utes All-American Luther Elliss as the squad’s defensive tackles coach.

Elliss comes to Utah after spending the past five seasons as the defensive line coach at the University of Idaho.

In the fall of 2021, the Vandals ranked 16th in the NCAA FCS Subdivision with 2.82 sacks per game. Two of his defensive linemen, Charles Akanno and Noah Elliss, earned All-Big Sky Conference honors.

A native of Mancos, Colo., Elliss was a consensus All-American and WAC Defensive Player of the Year at Utah in 1994.

In the 1995 NFL Draft, Elliss was selected No. 20 overall by the Detroit Lions.

In nine seasons with the Lions and the Denver Broncos, Elliss netted 29 sacks, 8 passes defensed and 4 forced fumbles.