Berry College

Joel Elliott joins Berry College in 2022 as the program's defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.

Since joining the Vikings, Elliot has produced five All-SAA linebackers.

In 2024, Elliott spearheaded the best defense in the SAA, only allowing 17.6 total points per game to opponents. 

Elliott comes to Berry after spending two seasons at the University of Memphis in the American Athletic Conference, first as a defensive graduate assistant and then in defensive quality control.  In 2021, Elliott coached First Team All-AAC Linebacker JJ Russell, who finished ninth in major college football with 123 total tackles. The team won the Hawai'i Bowl, with Elliott working with both the inside and outside linebackers for Memphis head coach Ryan Silverfield.  In 2020, worked with both inside and outside linebackers, coached the left side of the line on the punt unit, and was responsible for coaching various other positions on special teams. The 2020 squad went 8-3, winning the Montgomery Bowl.

In 2019 under head coach Mike Norvell, Elliott was a graduate assistant with a defense that went 12-2 and earned a spot in the Cotton Bowl as champions of the AAC. Elliott was responsible for coaching the Stud Linebacker, with part of his corps of linebackers including Honorable Mention All-AAC honoree Austin Hall. His work on special teams helped Memphis to a No. 2 ranking in Special Teams Efficiency in major college football. Memphis' defense in 2019 improved by more than seven fewer points allowed and 55 less yards allowed per game from the 2018 season.

Prior to Memphis, Elliott was a defensive graduate assistant with Marshall from 2017-19. Under head coach Doc Holliday, Elliott was in charge of special teams quality control in 2017, working with one of the top units in Conference USA and in major college football in Special Teams Efficiency. The 2017 team went 8-5 en route to winning the New Mexico Bowl.

Elliott was a defensive graduate assistant for the 2018 season, helping the team to a 9-4 record and the championship of the Gasparilla Bowl. Elliott coached Omari Cobb, who would go on to be an NFL linebacker, as part of his responsibilities of coaching the Stud Linebacker. The team finished seventh in the country and third in C-USA in sacks with 42, with the team's mark of 104.2 yards per game ranking eighth-best in the country.

For the 2014-16 seasons, Elliott was at NCAA Division III school Wesley College. As a graduate assistant in 2014, Elliott was a defensive ends coach for head coach Mike Drass. That Wesley team went 12-2 and advance to the NCAA D-III semifinals.

In 2015-16, Wesley was an assistant coach in charge of the linebacker corps. The teams averaged 10 wins a season, with both teams reaching the D-III playoffs.

Elliott played at Denison University for four seasons, where he was a four-year letterwinner from 2010-13. He was a captain of the 2013 squad and was named Defensive MVP by the coaching staff and was an Honorable Mention All-North Coast Athletic Conference honoree.