NC State’s staff overhaul includes new defensive, offensive coordinators

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — N.C. State’s offseason began with an overhaul of the coaching staff.

The school said Tuesday that D.J. Eliot will take over as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Eliot had worked as an analyst at Baylor last season and coached linebackers with the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles in 2023. He replaces new Marshall head coach Tony Gibson on Dave Doeren’s staff.

Freddie Aughtry-Lindsay will serve as a co-coordinator while coaching safeties and nickelbacks. He served as interim coordinator for the Military Bowl loss to East Carolina after Gibson’s departure. He’s taking over duties with the safeties from Joe DeForest, who is retiring.

The team also announced that Elisha Shaw, who joined the football staff before last season, would take a full-time coaching position and work with Charley Wiles in coaching the defensive line.

The defensive changes came a day after Doeren announced that the team had fired Robert Anae as offensive coordinator after two seasons, with Kurt Roper taking on that role in addition to continuing as quarterbacks coach. Alumnus Gavin Locklear is moving up from offensive quality control coach to overseeing tight ends.

The bowl loss gave N.C. State (6-7) its first losing record since 2019.

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