Tucker Names Ross Els Special Teams Coordinator, William Peagler Running Backs Coach
2/24/2020 7:39:00 PM | Football
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State head football coach Mel Tucker has announced two more staff hirings, naming Ross Els the special teams coordinator and William Peagler running backs coach.
A 30-year coaching veteran, Els has spent the last three seasons (2017-19) as the inside linebackers coach at Colorado; he added duties of special teams coordinator under Tucker in 2019.
"Ross has been a Power 5 defensive coordinator and does an excellent job with special teams," said Tucker. "His attention to detail is outstanding and he's a great teacher. He also develops great relationships with his players, which makes him a great recruiter as well. His experience will definitely help our staff."
Peagler, 34, was the director of quality control for the offense last season at Colorado and has been coaching in college for the past 10 seasons.
"William has an excellent understanding of offensive concepts," said Tucker. "He really gets it. He also has experience working with (offensive coordinator) Jay Johnson, and has been at some high level programs, including Clemson and Georgia. He's a multi-talented coach and I think he is a rising star."
A CLOSER LOOK AT ROSS ELS
Under Ross Els' direction at CU, junior linebacker Nate Landman earned first-team All-Pac 12 honors after leading the Buffaloes and ranking fourth in the conference and 20th in the FBS with 104 total tackles. He also ranked second in the FBS with 83 solo stops. Landman became the first CU linebacker to earn first-team All-Pac 12 honors since the school joined the conference in 2011. In addition, senior punter Alex Kinney garnered second-team all-league accolades after averaging 44.4 yards per punt.
Els, 53, has previous experience in the Big Ten, serving as the defensive coordinator at Purdue in 2016 and four seasons at Nebraska under Coach Bo Pelini from 2011-14. Els coached the linebackers during his four seasons in Lincoln and also spent three years as the special teams and recruiting coordinator. During his time at Nebraska, Els helped develop Lavonte David, the 2011 Big Ten Linebacker of the Year and a Butkus Award finalist. A second-round NFL Draft selection in 2012, David recently completed his eighth season in the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Nebraska was 37-16 in his four years on staff, including a trip to the 2012 Big Ten Championship Game and four bowl appearances: Capital One (2012 and 2013), Gator (2014) and Holiday (2014).
Prior to Nebraska, Els was the linebackers coach for six seasons (2005-10) at Ohio, working under Frank Solich. Els was named the Bobcats' special teams coordinator in 2007 and was promoted to assistant head coach in 2010. He coached four All-Mid-American Conference linebackers, in addition helping OU to two MAC East Division titles and three bowl appearances: 2006 GMAC, 2009 Little Caesars and 2010 New Orleans.
In 2010, Ohio's defense ranked 20th nationally and second in the MAC in rushing defense (123.1 ypg). Els' special teams were also a key part of Ohio's 8-5 season that culminated with a trip to the New Orleans Bowl. The Bobcats ranked first in the 14-team MAC in net punting, third in punt returns and fifth in kickoff returns. In 2009, he tutored linebacker Noah Keller, who led the MAC with 155 tackles en route to earning honorable mention All-America honors. He also coached punt returner LaVon Brazil to second-team All-America honors that season, while placekicker Matt Weller was named a Freshman All-American after kicking a school record 21 field goals.
Els coached in the FBS for the first time when he spent four years at New Mexico State, first tutoring the safeties and special teams for the 2001 and 2002 seasons, and then the linebackers along with a promotion to defensive coordinator in 2003 and 2004. He worked under Tony Samuel during his time in Las Cruces.
Els was the head coach at Hastings (Neb.) College from 1997-2000, where he was the quarterbacks coach in 1995 and the defensive coordinator and secondary coach in 1996. As Hastings' head coach, Els compiled a 32-9 record, including NAIA playoff appearances in 1998 and 1999.
A 1988 graduate of Nebraska-Omaha, Els majored in management information systems and lettered four years as a safety. He got his start in coaching as a graduate assistant at Northern Iowa in 1989, working with the linebackers and secondary, and earned his master's degree from UNI in physical education.
He then returned to his alma mater, UNO, for his first full-time position in the ranks, coaching the secondary for four seasons (1990-93).
Els was born on Aug. 14, 1965 in Lincoln, Nebraska, and graduated from Lincoln Northeast High, where he lettered in football, basketball and baseball. He is married to the former Jane Ketterer, and the couple has two daughters, Julie and Taylor, and a son, Bo.
THE ROSS ELS FILE
POSTSEASON COACHING EXPERIENCE: Seven bowl games (2006 GMAC, 2009 Little Caesars, 2010 New Orleans, 2012 Capital One, 2013 Capital One, 2014 Gator, 2014 Holiday).
PREVIOUS COACHING EXPERIENCE:
Graduate assistant (defense) at Northern Iowa (1989)
Secondary coach at Nebraska-Omaha (1990-93)
Secondary coach at Northern Iowa (1994)
Quarterbacks coach at Hastings (Neb.) College (1995)
Defensive coordinator/secondary coach at Hastings College (1996)
Head coach at Hastings College (1997-2000)
Safeties/special teams coach at New Mexico State (2001-02)
Defensive coordinator/linebackers coach at New Mexico State (2003-04)
Linebackers coach at Ohio (2005-06)
Linebackers coach and special teams coordinator at Ohio (2007-09)
Assistant head coach/linebackers coach/special teams coordinator at Ohio (2010)
Linebackers coach at Nebraska (2011)
Linebackers coach/special teams coordinator/recruiting coordinator at Nebraska (2012-14)
Linebackers coach at Lincoln Southwest High School (2015)
Defensive coordinator/safeties coach at Purdue (2016)
Inside linebackers/special teams coach at Colorado (2017-19)
A CLOSER LOOK AT WILLIAM PEAGLER
William Peagler, 34, was the director of quality control for the offense last season at Colorado and has been coaching in college for the past 10 seasons. This will be the fifth time he has been on the same staff with offensive coordinator Jay Johnson (Michigan State, Colorado, Georgia, Minnesota, Louisiana).
Peagler (pea-glerr) came to Colorado from Louisiana (formerly UL-Lafayette), where he spent the 2018 season as the Ragin' Cajuns' director of player personnel and quality control coordinator. UL won the Sun Belt West Division title and earned a berth into the AutoNation Cure Bowl. In addition, Peagler helped Louisiana recruit the No. 1 class in the Sun Belt Conference.
During Georgia's run to the College Football Playoff National Championship in 2017, Peagler served as a graduate assistant for the Bulldogs, working with the offensive line. UGA won a school-record 13 games, the SEC Championship, and the Rose Bowl over Oklahoma in the CFP Semifinal during Peagler's year in Athens. He was also on the staff that signed the nation's consensus top recruiting class for 2018. Peagler worked with NFL first-rounder Isaiah Wynn, who earned first-team All-SEC honors as an offensive tackle in 2017.
Peagler joined the Minnesota staff in January 2016 as an assistant in quality control for the offense, particularly working with the offensive line. In that role for the Gophers, he was in charge of opponent scouting, self-scouting and the day-to-day operations on the offensive side of the ball. During the 2016 season, Minnesota defeated Washington State in the Holiday Bowl and won nine games under coach Tracy Claeys.
In 2015, Peagler was the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Olive Branch High School in Mississippi. He was at Coffeyville Community College in 2014, where he was the run game coordinator with additional duties as the school's recruiting coordinator. Under his watch, the Ravens rushed for 2,671 yards and 22 touchdowns that season and went from scoring 27.8 points per game the year before to 48.2 (578 in 12 games).
Previously, he had spent the 2011-13 seasons at Louisiana (formerly UL-Lafayette), where he first worked under Johnson. He initially joined the Ragin' Cajuns staff as an offensive quality control assistant and then was an offensive graduate assistant coach in his final two years there. UL won the New Orleans Bowl all three seasons he was on the staff. His first taste of coaching came as the tight ends coach at Valdosta State for the 2010 season.
Peagler graduated from Clemson with a degree in sport management in 2010. As an undergraduate at Clemson, he was a student assistant for the Tiger football team under head coaches Tommy Bowden and Dabo Swinney from 2006-09.
Peagler was born April 27, 1985, in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and graduated from the Holly Hill (S.C.) Academy where he lettered in football, basketball and baseball.
A 30-year coaching veteran, Els has spent the last three seasons (2017-19) as the inside linebackers coach at Colorado; he added duties of special teams coordinator under Tucker in 2019.
"Ross has been a Power 5 defensive coordinator and does an excellent job with special teams," said Tucker. "His attention to detail is outstanding and he's a great teacher. He also develops great relationships with his players, which makes him a great recruiter as well. His experience will definitely help our staff."
Peagler, 34, was the director of quality control for the offense last season at Colorado and has been coaching in college for the past 10 seasons.
"William has an excellent understanding of offensive concepts," said Tucker. "He really gets it. He also has experience working with (offensive coordinator) Jay Johnson, and has been at some high level programs, including Clemson and Georgia. He's a multi-talented coach and I think he is a rising star."
A CLOSER LOOK AT ROSS ELS
Under Ross Els' direction at CU, junior linebacker Nate Landman earned first-team All-Pac 12 honors after leading the Buffaloes and ranking fourth in the conference and 20th in the FBS with 104 total tackles. He also ranked second in the FBS with 83 solo stops. Landman became the first CU linebacker to earn first-team All-Pac 12 honors since the school joined the conference in 2011. In addition, senior punter Alex Kinney garnered second-team all-league accolades after averaging 44.4 yards per punt.
Els, 53, has previous experience in the Big Ten, serving as the defensive coordinator at Purdue in 2016 and four seasons at Nebraska under Coach Bo Pelini from 2011-14. Els coached the linebackers during his four seasons in Lincoln and also spent three years as the special teams and recruiting coordinator. During his time at Nebraska, Els helped develop Lavonte David, the 2011 Big Ten Linebacker of the Year and a Butkus Award finalist. A second-round NFL Draft selection in 2012, David recently completed his eighth season in the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Nebraska was 37-16 in his four years on staff, including a trip to the 2012 Big Ten Championship Game and four bowl appearances: Capital One (2012 and 2013), Gator (2014) and Holiday (2014).
Prior to Nebraska, Els was the linebackers coach for six seasons (2005-10) at Ohio, working under Frank Solich. Els was named the Bobcats' special teams coordinator in 2007 and was promoted to assistant head coach in 2010. He coached four All-Mid-American Conference linebackers, in addition helping OU to two MAC East Division titles and three bowl appearances: 2006 GMAC, 2009 Little Caesars and 2010 New Orleans.
In 2010, Ohio's defense ranked 20th nationally and second in the MAC in rushing defense (123.1 ypg). Els' special teams were also a key part of Ohio's 8-5 season that culminated with a trip to the New Orleans Bowl. The Bobcats ranked first in the 14-team MAC in net punting, third in punt returns and fifth in kickoff returns. In 2009, he tutored linebacker Noah Keller, who led the MAC with 155 tackles en route to earning honorable mention All-America honors. He also coached punt returner LaVon Brazil to second-team All-America honors that season, while placekicker Matt Weller was named a Freshman All-American after kicking a school record 21 field goals.
Els coached in the FBS for the first time when he spent four years at New Mexico State, first tutoring the safeties and special teams for the 2001 and 2002 seasons, and then the linebackers along with a promotion to defensive coordinator in 2003 and 2004. He worked under Tony Samuel during his time in Las Cruces.
Els was the head coach at Hastings (Neb.) College from 1997-2000, where he was the quarterbacks coach in 1995 and the defensive coordinator and secondary coach in 1996. As Hastings' head coach, Els compiled a 32-9 record, including NAIA playoff appearances in 1998 and 1999.
A 1988 graduate of Nebraska-Omaha, Els majored in management information systems and lettered four years as a safety. He got his start in coaching as a graduate assistant at Northern Iowa in 1989, working with the linebackers and secondary, and earned his master's degree from UNI in physical education.
He then returned to his alma mater, UNO, for his first full-time position in the ranks, coaching the secondary for four seasons (1990-93).
Els was born on Aug. 14, 1965 in Lincoln, Nebraska, and graduated from Lincoln Northeast High, where he lettered in football, basketball and baseball. He is married to the former Jane Ketterer, and the couple has two daughters, Julie and Taylor, and a son, Bo.
THE ROSS ELS FILE
POSTSEASON COACHING EXPERIENCE: Seven bowl games (2006 GMAC, 2009 Little Caesars, 2010 New Orleans, 2012 Capital One, 2013 Capital One, 2014 Gator, 2014 Holiday).
PREVIOUS COACHING EXPERIENCE:
Graduate assistant (defense) at Northern Iowa (1989)
Secondary coach at Nebraska-Omaha (1990-93)
Secondary coach at Northern Iowa (1994)
Quarterbacks coach at Hastings (Neb.) College (1995)
Defensive coordinator/secondary coach at Hastings College (1996)
Head coach at Hastings College (1997-2000)
Safeties/special teams coach at New Mexico State (2001-02)
Defensive coordinator/linebackers coach at New Mexico State (2003-04)
Linebackers coach at Ohio (2005-06)
Linebackers coach and special teams coordinator at Ohio (2007-09)
Assistant head coach/linebackers coach/special teams coordinator at Ohio (2010)
Linebackers coach at Nebraska (2011)
Linebackers coach/special teams coordinator/recruiting coordinator at Nebraska (2012-14)
Linebackers coach at Lincoln Southwest High School (2015)
Defensive coordinator/safeties coach at Purdue (2016)
Inside linebackers/special teams coach at Colorado (2017-19)
A CLOSER LOOK AT WILLIAM PEAGLER
William Peagler, 34, was the director of quality control for the offense last season at Colorado and has been coaching in college for the past 10 seasons. This will be the fifth time he has been on the same staff with offensive coordinator Jay Johnson (Michigan State, Colorado, Georgia, Minnesota, Louisiana).
Peagler (pea-glerr) came to Colorado from Louisiana (formerly UL-Lafayette), where he spent the 2018 season as the Ragin' Cajuns' director of player personnel and quality control coordinator. UL won the Sun Belt West Division title and earned a berth into the AutoNation Cure Bowl. In addition, Peagler helped Louisiana recruit the No. 1 class in the Sun Belt Conference.
During Georgia's run to the College Football Playoff National Championship in 2017, Peagler served as a graduate assistant for the Bulldogs, working with the offensive line. UGA won a school-record 13 games, the SEC Championship, and the Rose Bowl over Oklahoma in the CFP Semifinal during Peagler's year in Athens. He was also on the staff that signed the nation's consensus top recruiting class for 2018. Peagler worked with NFL first-rounder Isaiah Wynn, who earned first-team All-SEC honors as an offensive tackle in 2017.
Peagler joined the Minnesota staff in January 2016 as an assistant in quality control for the offense, particularly working with the offensive line. In that role for the Gophers, he was in charge of opponent scouting, self-scouting and the day-to-day operations on the offensive side of the ball. During the 2016 season, Minnesota defeated Washington State in the Holiday Bowl and won nine games under coach Tracy Claeys.
In 2015, Peagler was the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Olive Branch High School in Mississippi. He was at Coffeyville Community College in 2014, where he was the run game coordinator with additional duties as the school's recruiting coordinator. Under his watch, the Ravens rushed for 2,671 yards and 22 touchdowns that season and went from scoring 27.8 points per game the year before to 48.2 (578 in 12 games).
Previously, he had spent the 2011-13 seasons at Louisiana (formerly UL-Lafayette), where he first worked under Johnson. He initially joined the Ragin' Cajuns staff as an offensive quality control assistant and then was an offensive graduate assistant coach in his final two years there. UL won the New Orleans Bowl all three seasons he was on the staff. His first taste of coaching came as the tight ends coach at Valdosta State for the 2010 season.
Peagler graduated from Clemson with a degree in sport management in 2010. As an undergraduate at Clemson, he was a student assistant for the Tiger football team under head coaches Tommy Bowden and Dabo Swinney from 2006-09.
Peagler was born April 27, 1985, in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and graduated from the Holly Hill (S.C.) Academy where he lettered in football, basketball and baseball.
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