Dan Mullen’s coaching staff for 2017 is filling up.
Mississippi State confirmed multiple reports that D.J Looney, a graduate assistant for Georgia, will be the new tight ends coach and Brett Elliott will be the new quarterbacks coach.
A source told The Dispatch current tight ends coach Scott Sallach will transition to a yet-to-be-determined, off-field role.
Looney played for MSU from 2006-2010. He played his redshirt freshman season for Sylvester Croom before playing his final two seasons under Mullen. After a year as a graduate assistant for MSU, Looney became the offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at East Mississippi Community College, where he coached the 2013 national championship team.
Looney spent 2014 and 2015 at Central Arkansas before going to Georgia as a graduate assistant.
Elliott served as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at Texas State last season.
Elliott served as an offensive quality control coach/graduate assistant under Mullen from 2012-14. He spent one season at James Madison as a co-coordinator and quarterbacks coach before going to Texas State.
Elliott played quarterback for Mullen at Utah in 2003. He was the starter in 2002 and began the season as the starter in 2003 team before breaking his wrist in the second game of the season. Alex Smith replaced him and went on to be a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, which is given to college football’s best player, and a future No. 1 NFL draft pick.
Elliott transferred to Linfield College, where he became the school’s starting quarterback en route to a NCAA Division III National Football Championship in 2004. He set national records, including the mark for touchdowns thrown in a season (61). In 2005, he won the Gagliardi Trophy, which is given to the Division III college football player of the year, and the Melberger Award, which is given to an outstanding Division III player by the NCAA.
Elliott played for five years in the NFL, in NFL Europe, and in the Arena Football League. He replaces Brian Johnson, who left MSU in December become the offensive coordinator at Houston.
Looney and Elliott join defensive coordinator Todd Grantham and safeties coach Ron English as additions to Mullen’s staff. Grantham and English will be introduced at a news conference Wednesday.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brett Hudson on Twitter @Brett_Hudson
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