Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, February 11, 1995 TAG: 9502140046
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Phil Elmassian, whose work was instrumental in the Hokies' football success the past two seasons, is leaving Tech to take a job as defensive secondary coach at the University of Washington, a Tech source confirmed Friday.
Elmassian couldn't be reached for comment on a move that took many Hokies by surprise. The Huskies are planning to make an official announcement Monday. Tech head coach Frank Beamer was out of town Friday night and unavailable for comment.
Only two months ago, Elmassian, 43, was interviewed for, but not offered, the defensive coordinator's position at Georgia Tech. Noting it wouldn't let any of its top coaches be bought, Tech immediately gave Elmassian a pay raise of approximately $10,000, pushing his annual salary to the $85,000 range.
Evidently, it wasn't enough to keep him. The Washington job will be Elmassian's 10th in 21 years of coaching, including assistant stints at Ferrum, Virginia, Syracuse, Minnesota, East Carolina, Richmond and William and Mary. He decided he wanted to become a coach while playing at Ferrum for his mentor, retired coaching legend Hank Norton.
He has coached in eight bowl games. In his two seasons as Tech's defensive coordinator, the Hokies were 17-7. He is known for his emotional, high-intensity, hands-on coaching style.
Elmassian's knowledge of the Washington program is rooted in recent springs and summers, when he went to the Seattle school to learn more about the 4-3 swarming, attacking defensive scheme he installed at Tech after Beamer ditched the wide-tackle six set.
He first visited Washington in the spring of 1991 while still Syracuse's secondary coach. It was then he first saw a scheme that was based on speed and maximizing players' strengths. ``After the last couple years, I'm convinced size is definitely overrated,'' Elmassian said during the 1994 season.
Elmassian first worked at Tech as an assistant under Bill Dooley in 1985-86. His two seasons as defensive coordinator marked the first time in school history the Hokies have played in back-to-back bowl games.
Elmassian's depth-shy defense started strong before weakening down the stretch in Tech's 8-4 season, which ended with lopsided losses to Virginia and Tennessee, in the Gator Bowl. The Hokies allowed 121 points in their last three games.
He leaves behind a unit that will have 10 returning starters in 1995, with All-Big East linebacker Ken Brown the only loss.
Tech's defense ranked 20th in Division I-A in 1994, allowing 308.3 yards per game, improving from No.69 and 388.1 yards in 1993. The season before Elmassian's arrival, Tech was 88th in total defense. The Hokies ranked eighth nationally against the pass in 1994.
by CNB