December 8, 2016

Shawn Elliott, formerly co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at South Carolina and a coaching veteran with 20 years of experience in winning programs, has been selected as Georgia State’s new head football coach, President Mark Becker and Director of Athletics Charlie Cobb announced Thursday.

Elliott will be introduced Friday at an 11 a.m. press conference at the Georgia State Student Center East Ballroom. The Georgia State community, including students, faculty, staff, alumni and Panther Athletic Club members, are invited to attend the press conference.

Elliott has worked the last seven seasons at South Carolina under Will Muschamp and Steve Spurrier, highlighted by three consecutive 11-win seasons from 2011-13 during the most successful run in the Gamecocks’ history. In addition to coaching the offensive line, he was elevated to co-offensive coordinator in 2012, and he served as the interim head coach following Spurrier’s retirement midway through the 2015 season.

Before going to South Carolina in 2010, Elliott served 13 seasons as an assistant coach at Appalachian State. He was an integral part of App State’s three consecutive NCAA titles from 2005-07 as well as the Mountaineers’ historic upset at Michigan in 2007.

In 20 seasons as a Division I assistant coach, Elliott has been a part of 19 winning seasons and helped coach 16 teams to the NCAA playoffs or a bowl game.

The Camden, S.C., native is a 1996 graduate of Appalachian State, where he was an all-conference defensive lineman.

“We set out to find for Georgia State a head coach who will energize our program and assemble a coaching staff that will recruit the city of Atlanta and the state of Georgia with zeal. Shawn Elliott is the perfect coach to do just that,” Cobb said.

“Coach Elliott is a leader and a winner, and we look forward to introducing him to the Panther Family and getting started on a very exciting 2017 year for Georgia State football,” Cobb added.