LAWRENCE, Kan. – Emmett Jones is the latest addition to Kansas football head coach Les Miles’ staff, as he was hired Tuesday and will oversee the Jayhawks wide receivers. Jones arrives at KU fresh off of coaching some of the top receivers in Texas Tech history.

“Emmett Jones is a dynamic wide receivers coach,” said Miles. “The players he has worked with have really flourished under his guidance. He has developed them to have highly productive careers in college and also to go on to find success at the next level. His familiarity with the Big 12 landscape will also help us greatly in recruiting.”

Jones recently completed his third season as outside receivers coach on Kliff Kingsbury’s staff at Texas Tech after being promoted to the position immediately following the 2015 season.

Jones, who previously served as Tech’s Director of Player Development in 2015, saw his unit find immediate success during the 2016 campaign as the Red Raiders led the country in total offense (566.6 yards per game) as well as passing offense (463.0 yards per game). Tech averaged 43.7 points per game – its third-highest mark in school history – which ranked fifth nationally among FBS programs.

Under Jones’ direction, Tech’s outside receivers accounted for 1,835 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns, which were led by Dylan Cantrell, who finished with 650 yards and eight touchdowns through the air. Cantrell wrapped his career with 1,873 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns, the majority of which came during his final two seasons under Jones.

Cantrell and fellow receiver Keke Coutee both heard their names called during the 2018 NFL Draft as Cantrell was selected in the sixth round by the Los Angeles Chargers. Fellow outside receiver Derrick Willies also received an opportunity at the next level as he signed a free agent agreement with the Cleveland Browns shortly after the draft.

T.J. Vasher developed into a significant deep threat under Jones after catching 29 passes for 545 yards and six touchdowns as only a redshirt freshman in 2017. Vasher turned in two 100-yard performances during Big 12 play as he recorded all but two of his receptions during the final eight games of the year. He averaged 18.8 yards per catch overall, which ranked 22nd nationally at the end of the season.

In 2018 Jones coached Antoine Wesley, who was named a first-team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America, All-Big 12 First Team by the Associated Press and All-Big 12 Second Team by the league coaches and a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award.

Wesley was among the FBS leaders in 2018 in almost every receiving category after hauling in 88 passes for 1,410 yards and nine touchdowns. He ranks second nationally in receiving yards and receiving yards per game (117.5) as well as eighth in receptions per game (7.3). He was the Big 12 leader in all three categories. Wesley’s 1,410 receiving yards ranks third all-time in Texas Tech history.

Jones arrived in Lubbock to oversee Tech’s player development in February 2015. In his one season in that role, Jones served as a mentor for the Red Raider offense and was also instrumental in Tech’s on-campus recruiting activities.

Jones came to Tech following three seasons as the head coach at South Oak Cliff, one of the top high school programs in the state of Texas. The Golden Bears were a combined 30-8 under Jones, advancing deep in the Class 4A and 5A playoffs over all three seasons. In addition, South Oak Cliff was a hotbed for talent and annually produced several players who signed with Division-I programs, including five players who signed in 2014.

South Oak Cliff was the first head coaching position for Jones after making several stops as an assistant in the Dallas area. Jones previously spent seven seasons at nearby Dallas Skyline High School prior to his arrival at South Oak Cliff. He began his tenure at Skyline as wide receivers coach before later being promoted to offensive coordinator.

Jones, who was a walk-on at Texas Tech during the mid-1990s, began his coaching career at his alma mater Seagoville High School from 2001-04. He later joined the Dallas Lincoln staff for one year before heading to Dallas Skyline.

— KU Athletics —

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas football head coach Les Miles tabbed the leader of his defense as he announced the hiring of D.J. Eliot to be his defensive coordinator. Eliot arrives at KU with 20 years of coaching experience in the collegiate ranks, including the last six as a defensive coordinator.

“D.J. Eliot has time and again elevated the defenses he works with,” said Miles. “He knows how to get the best out of his players, both on and off the field. I am very excited to have him on board to lead our defense.”

Eliot’s pedigree includes coaching stops at Florida State, Miami, Colorado and Kentucky, as well as time with proven winners and program builders Jimbo Fisher and Mark Stoops. Additionally, Eliot is among a select group of defensive thought-leaders that regularly clinic around the principles of the 3-4 defense, including Miles’ former defensive coordinator Dave Aranda.

Prior to joining the Jayhawks, Eliot spent the 2017-18 seasons as the defensive coordinator at Colorado. His 2018 Buffaloes defense ranked fifth in the Pac-12 in total defense, but was especially good on third downs, ranking third in the league. During his stint at CU, cornerback Isaiah Oliver was selected in the second round (58th overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons.

Eliot joined the Colorado staff from Kentucky, where he was the Wildcats’ defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for four seasons (2013-16). He helped coach UK to the 2016 TaxSlayer Bowl, the first postseason appearance for Kentucky since 2010.

At his previous two coaching stops, Kentucky and Florida State, he coached eight players who were drafted in the NFL, including two first round picks. Linebacker Bud Dupree was a 2015 first round selection of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the first Kentucky first-rounder in 12 years, and defensive end Bjoern Werner from Florida State, who was selected by Indianapolis in 2013.

Overall at Kentucky, he coached 11 Wildcats who earned All-SEC recognition and in three of his four years with the school one of his linebackers recorded over 100 tackles in a season. Avery Williams recorded 102 stops in 2013, Josh Forrest posted 110 in 2014, a figure that ranked No. 3 in the SEC that season, while Jordan Jones had 109 in Eliot’s final year with UK.

At Kentucky, the Wildcats set a new school record for defensive touchdowns scored in a season with six in 2014; UK recorded 23 takeaways that year. UK jumped 45 places in total defense rankings from 2013 to 2014 under Eliot, finishing in the top half of the nation in that statistic. In 2015, UK ranked 28th in the FBS in passing defense by giving up only 198.1 yards per game, And in 2016, sophomore safety Mike Edwards finished the regular season leading all SEC defensive backs in tackles (93) while tying for the team lead in interceptions with three, two coming against No. 11 Louisville and Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson in the Cats’ 41-38 victory.

His presence at Florida State helped lead a revival of FSU’s defense. The year prior to his arrival, the Seminoles ranked 108th in total defense and rushing defense. However, by 2012, FSU ranked second nationally in total defense (254.1 yards per game) and sixth in scoring defense (14.7 points per game).

In his three seasons at Florida State (2010-12), the ‘Noles went 31-10 and he helped FSU tie for the national lead in sacks with 48 his first year there. In his second season FSU limited opponents to just 2.35 yards per carry, which led the nation in that category. His defensive ends on the 2012 team, Werner and Cornellius Carradine, combined for and 31 tackles for losses, including 24 sacks, when FSU finished 12-2. Werner went on to be named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year on his way to earning All-America honors.

In his second of three seasons at Rice (2007-09), he helped the Owls go 10-3 and win the 2008 Texas Bowl, the program’s first bowl win since 1950 and first 10-win season since 1949.

Eliot got his start in coaching at his alma mater, Wyoming, as a graduate assistant in 1999. From there he went to Houston as a graduate assistant for two years before landing in a similar position at Miami for the 2002 season; the Hurricanes went 12-0 and were ranked No. 1 at the end of the regular season before falling 31-24 in double overtime to Ohio State in the BCS National Championship Game.

He spent two years in Division I-AA (FCS), coaching the linebackers at Texas State (San Marcos). He helped lead a defensive turnaround (34.8 to 20.3 points per game, as well as 395 to 314 yards allowed). In 2005, the Bobcats went 11-3, reaching the semifinals of the I-AA playoffs.

Eliot lettered at linebacker at Wyoming for coach Dana Dimel and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in natural science in 1999. He earned his master’s degree in education from Houston in 2002.

— KU Athletics —