March 5, 2003
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - After serving as defensive coordinator for Western Kentucky University's NCAA I-AA national championship team last year, David Elson was named the school's head football coach Wednesday by Director of Athletics Dr. Wood Selig.
Elson replaces Jack Harbaugh, who resigned at the end of last week after 14 years at the helm of the program. At 31, Elson is the second-youngest head coach on the Division I level.
He was the longest-tenured assistant on Harbaugh's staff, working seven years on the Hill with defensive backs, the last two as defensive coordinator.
"I want to thank (WKU President Gary) Ransdell and Dr. Selig for the opportunity to lead the best football program, in my opinion, in the United States," Elson said. "Words cannot describe how excited I am to have the chance to take on this challenge. It's an honor to follow in the footsteps of people like Jimmy Feix and Jack Harbaugh, and the program is at a time where things have never been better. I'm looking forward to building on that and continuing our successful tradition.
"My family and I love the Bowling Green community and appreciate all that the University has done for us over the years."
Last season the Hilltoppers led the Gateway Football Conference in the regular season in rush, pass, pass efficiency, total and scoring defense, becoming just the second team in league history to allow fewer than 10 points per contest in GFC games. In WKU's first season in the conference, it led all teams in rush, pass, total and scoring defense, setting a league record in total yards allowed per game - the Toppers ranked in the top 10 nationally in each category.
Nine defensive players have earned first-team all-conference honors the last two years, with 13 total recognized by the voters. And, two defensive backs have been selected consensus All-America - Bobby Sippio (2000) and Mel Mitchell ('01) - while nine Hilltoppers on that side of the ball have been named All-America since Elson's arrival. Mitchell and Joseph Jefferson were both selected in the 2002 National Football League draft, the first time since 1990 that two Western players were picked in the same year, while Jefferson was the first player chosen from an NCAA I-AA institution.
"We are very pleased to announce David Elson as our new head football coach for several reasons," Dr. Selig said. "Coach Elson has been on the Hilltopper staff for seven seasons, two as defensive coordinator during a period that saw WKU's defense rank number one in the nation in total defense. We feel defense wins championships.
"Coach Elson will allow us the opportunity to maintain continuity within a program that has gone to three straight playoffs, culminating with a national championship this season. He was an integral part of that success serving as recruiting coordinator every year he was here. Coach Elson is familiar with our coaching personnel as well as our student-athletes and recruits, and we were not interested in making wholesale changes at a time when our program has reached the apex of I-AA football."
Western is 61-24 (71.8%) over the last seven years, and has reached the NCAA I-AA playoffs in four of the last six seasons. In addition to winning the Gateway Conference championship last fall, the Toppers also claimed the 2000 Ohio Valley Conference crown.
"I was very impressed with David's interview and the time we spent with both David and Kathy Elson," President Ransdell said. "He has the character, drive and knowledge which all Hilltopper fans expect in our head football coach. I'm confident David will strengthen the rich traditions built by Jack Harbaugh, Jimmy Feix and so many others."
Elson came to the Hill from Southern Illinois, where he served as a graduate assistant coach in 1994 and '95 while earning a master's degree in education. He is a 1994 graduate of Butler, where he was a three-year letterwinner and started at strong safety his final two seasons. The Bulldogs were conference champions in both his sophomore and junior years.
A native of Indianapolis, Elson and his wife Kathy have two daughters, Lauren (6) and Jessica (1). Elson is the 16th head coach in the school's 84 years of football, but just the sixth since 1948. The Toppers have an all-time record of 472-305-30 (60.3%) with 10 postseason appearances.
The Hilltoppers begin spring practice Thursday, April 3. The schedule that Elson and Western will face in the fall will be released soon.
The Elson File: Born - Aug. 26, 1971, Indianapolis, Ind.;High School - Cathedral '89;HS Athletics - Football, SS, 3 letters (co-captain, all-city);College - Butler '94 (BS), Southern Illinois '95 (MS);College Athletics - Football, SS, 3 letters;Coaching Experience - Southern Illinois, graduate assistant (1994-95); WKU, assistant (1996- );Family - Wife, Kathy; two daughters, Lauren (6) and Jessica (1).- WKU -
