The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1532241
MARCH/APRIL 2025 ■ 33 worked with some of the greatest minds in college football, mostly recently with Dave Aranda at Baylor. He brings a wide variety of experience schematically and as a former NFL coach. He knows what it takes to develop players so they can make it to the next level." Eliot is being joined on the Wolf- pack's staff by another veteran defen- sive coach, Charlton Warren, who was brought aboard in January to serve as co-defensive coordinator after stints at North Carolina, Indiana, Georgia, Ten- nessee, Nebraska and Air Force. Warren will also oversee the Pack's safeties and nickels. Doeren described the Conley, Ga., native as someone who's "been on my radar for a long time because he's put many players in the NFL during his coaching tenure and comes with glow- ing recommendations from coaches I respect." Together, Eliot and Warren will be looking to boost an NC State defense that last season allowed 390.8 yards and 29.7 points per game to rank 88th and 99th, respectively, in the FBS. Building Connections Eliot is a great believer in the impor- tance of film study. Those tapes show players where they need to be on a par- ticular play and how they can fix mis- takes. At Temple, Jordan quickly came to appreciate Eliot's diligent, disciplined approach to the game. "He's all about you being in the right position to make the right play at the right time," Jordan said. "That's what his big impact is. Him teaching you the right things and you doing it, that's what makes him the happiest. If you're not doing what he taught you and you're doing other stuff, that's when he starts to get frustrated." Eliot, an Edmond, Okla., native who was a senior analyst at Baylor before being hired by Doeren, has a straight- forward teaching philosophy. For all the emphasis on details, his primary aim is to simplify the roles his players must perform. The Pack will operate out of the 3-3 stack, while incorporating multiple looks, including a four-man front or a 3-4 scheme. Eliot's ability to concisely teach it makes the transition easier for his players and enables them to match his intensity on the practice field. "I want the players to know exactly what the job description is," Eliot said. "I don't want to leave any gray area. … I would like my meeting room to be like an elementary school teacher's room. I want to make sure that I'm coaching in detail, but I'm keeping it simple. "When we get out to practice, I want it to be on fire," he continued. "I want guys flying around, I want enthusiasm, I want aggression. I want guys moving from spot to spot, and I want them to bring that intensity with them, too." Strong relationships are a key part of Eliot's coaching philosophy. His abil- ity to connect with players has helped him field high-pressure defenses every- where he's been. "A more connected team is a bet- ter team," Eliot said. "You always play harder for somebody that you're con- nected with. We're spending the first part of this semester getting to know each other. I want to know each player on defense in and out, and I want them to know about me." Jordan is a testament to the power of Eliot's approach. In his lone season in an Eliot-coached defense, he logged a career-best 53 total tackles, with 9 sacks, 3 forced fumbles and 2 intercep- tions. The linebacker had been open- minded when his new defensive coor- dinator arrived in Philadelphia, and the two quickly developed one of the tight- est bonds of Jordan's life. "I don't even consider that a relation- ship between me and him; I consider that as [being like] fatherhood," Jordan said. "He saw the vision in me, and I saw the vision in him. He took me in, and it just went from there. "I look at him as a father figure. I came to him with anything outside of football, anything in football." Eliot's main priority in the coming months will be to earn the trust of NC State's defensive players. That will take time, but it's a key part of his coaching style. The Pack's new defensive coordi- nator believes that "building relation- ships is critical in the success of a pro- gram and a defense." Offering Guidance Like his new colleague Eliot, War- ren brings a wealth of coaching experi- ence with him to Raleigh. He's been in the profession for more than two de- cades, and before that he played at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. The lessons he learned during his time in the military have stuck with him ever since. "It's really shaped me as a human be- ing," said Warren, who spent 10 years in the Air Force after wrapping up his playing career. "There's nothing in my life right now that I can't credit to going to the Air Force Academy, going through boot camp, playing football at the acad- emy and going on active duty for 10 years. That's really made me the hus- band, the father, the coach, the mentor of young men that I am today." Warren said his time in the Air Force helped with his sense of discipline and accountability while also sharpening his communication skills. He also be- lieves the experience gave him a per- spective that led him to a career men- toring college athletes — both on and off the field. "I understand how great it is to take care of young men and to make sure they're mentored and coached the right way," Warren said. "You're going to lose some, and I hope we win a bunch more than we lose, but in either one of those [situations], young men have to be guided the right way. "I think my military background, that perspective on life, has really given me all the tools I need to help those young men in my room understand the big- ger picture in life, and also make them competitive, tough and not [willing to] back down from anybody." Even though Warren's leadership skills are readily apparent, he knows " When we get out to practice, I want it to be on fire. I want guys flying around, I want enthusiasm, I want aggression." Eliot