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In addition to its head coach, N.C. State fired its defensive coordinator.
The program announced on Sunday afternoon that DJ Eliot has been “relieved of his duties,” effective immediately. Co-defensive coordinator and safeties/nickels coach Charlton Warren will take over defensive play calling duties. Warren came to N.C. State after working under Mack Brown at North Carolina.
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Eliot was hired two years ago to replace Tony Gibson, who left the program to become the head coach at Marshall.
At the time, Eliot was an unexpected hire that was met by skepticism from fans who questioned his ability to elevate the defense back into the national top 25.
Their concerns were validated through the on-field results.
According to Pro Football Focus, the N.C. State defense holds a 77.7 defensive grade for the season. It finished 2025 with a grade of 75.7, the worst since 2020 when the team finished with a 65.7.
From 2021-24, the Pack never finished below 82.3 and, during that span, topped out at 90.2 in 2022.
N.C. State ranked No. 109 in total defense (411.9 yards per game) in 2025. Its scoring defense ranked No. 82, giving up 27.2 points per game. Additionally, it allowed opponents to pick up 276 first downs, putting the Wolfpack at 108 in FBS. It found some success toward the end of last season, holding Florida State (11), North Carolina (19) and Memphis (7) under 20 points. N.C. State, however, gave up at least two touchdowns in nine of its FBS games a year ago.
This year, the Pack ranks 94th nationally for total defense (380 ypg) and 53rd in first down defense (134). However, it is allowing opponents to convert on 87% of their red zone opportunities and giving up more points (28.1) than it did a year ago.
Things were especially bad in the second half of this season’s games. N.C. State was outscored 125-67 in the second half against FBS opponents, including 28 against Vanderbilt and Wake Forest. It went 2-4 in those contests.
Stanford entered Friday’s game scoring a combined 23 points against Miami, Duke, Wake Forest and Notre Dame. The Wolfpack gave up 31.
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The Wolfpack’s numbers are similar to that of the other defenses Eliot’s coached.
Eliot previously served in the same position at Colorado, Kentucky, Kansas and Temple. His resume also included time in the ACC, when he worked for Jimbo Fisher at Florida State as the defensive ends coach from 2010-12. He most recently served as a linebackers coach for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023.
In Eliot’s lone year at Temple (2022), the Owls led the American Athletic Conference with 38 sacks and ranked No. 2 in passing yards allowed (198.6 yards per game). But, the overall defense still gave up more than 390 yards per game.
During his two seasons at Kansas (2019-20) under Les Miles, the Jayhawks won three games and went winless in 2020. The team also allowed more than 450 opponent yards per game, and recorded just 26 sacks in the two seasons.
Despite coaching multiple All-SEC honorees at Kentucky from 2013-16, the Wildcats finished 19-30 during Eliot’s tenure. In their best season within that stretch, they allowed 436.8 yards of total offense per game. Kentucky did score six defensive touchdowns in 2014 and forced 23 turnovers, while the team ranked No. 28 in 2015 for passing yards allowed per game (198.1).
Eliot was most successful at Florida State (2010-12), helping lead the Seminoles to three bowl game victories, one of which was the 2013 Orange Bowl. Two of his defensive ends combined for a total 31 tackles for loss, including 24 sacks.
The coach’s brief tenure wasn’t only disappointing on the field, Eliot experienced personal tragedy. His eldest daughter, Drue, died last October after a years long fight with cancer.
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This story was originally published October 25, 2026 at 3:49 PM.