Report: Clemson's Tony Elliott Emerges as UVA's Top Pick for Head Coach

Less than a week after the abrupt resignation of Bronco Mendenhall, Virginia appears to be closing in on its next head coach.

Clemson assistant Tony Elliott has reportedly emerged as the top candidate for the Cavaliers, according to ESPN's Chris Low and Adam Rittenberg. Elliott, currently the offensive coordinator and assistant head coach for the Tigers, was on the Virginia campus today with his family, per SI's Pat Forde.

Elliott, 42, played wide receiver for Clemson and coached at South Carolina State and Furman before joining the Clemson staff as the team's running backs coach in 2010. He was promoted to co-offensive coordinator in 2015 before taking over sole OC duties in 2020. Elliott won the Broyles Award in 2017 as the top assistant coach in the country.

Mendenhall coached Virginia for six years, peaking in 2019 with a Coastal division title and appearance in the Orange Bowl. The Cavaliers have gone 11-11 in the two years since then.

If Elliott does take the Virginia job, it would mean Clemson would have lost its two coordinators in quick succession following defensive coordinator Brent Venables taking the head coaching job at Oklahoma.

Virginia is slated to face SMU in the Fenway Bowl on Dec. 29.