MONROE, La.?ULM football head coach Charlie Weatherbie announced the hiring of 34-year coaching veteran Phil Elmassian and 10-year coaching veteran Lytrel Pollard. Weatherbie also announced the promotion of defensive line coach Manny Michel to co-defensive coordinator at a press conference Thursday afternoon in Malone Stadium.
The appointments are pending the approval of the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors.
Elmassian joins Michel as co-defensive coordinator, while Pollard was named linebackers coach and special teams coordinator.
“I am really excited to be welcoming Coach Elmassian and Coach Pollard to our staff,” Weatherbie said. “With the experience that they both bring to the table and with Coach Michel moving up to be one of the leaders of the defensive staff, I think that we have improved as a coaching staff.”
Elmassian joins the Warhawks after four years at Nebraska where he was the defensive backs coach. The veteran coach has been a part of championships in four conferences and has served as the defensive coordinator at four Division I schools: LSU, Virginia Tech, Boston College and West Virginia.
In his career, he has coached 17 players who received all-conference honors and two All-Americans. Elmassian has coached in a bowl game in 17 of the last 23 seasons and coached 16 players with NFL experience.
“Coach Elmassian has vast experience and brings a great deal of knowledge to the table,” Weatherbie said. “He has been both a position coach and coordinator at schools all over the country and is a great addition.”
Elmassian came to Nebraska from Purdue where he was the defensive backs coach in 2003. Purdue ranked second in the Big Ten and 19th in the nation in pass efficiency defense in his only season on the sideline for the Boilermakers and ranked 13th nationally in total defense (302.5 ypg).
Prior to Purdue, he coached for one season at Marshall (2002) after his seasons as the defensive coordinator for the Mountaineers (2001) and Bengal Tigers (2000).
Before taking over the defense at LSU, he served as defensive backs coach at Wisconsin (1997 -99). Elmassian was also a secondary coach at Washington (1995), Syracuse (1991-92), Virginia Tech (1985-86), Minnesota (1984) and East Carolina (1983).
Beginning his coaching career at William & Mary (1974-75) and then moving on to Richmond (1976-78), Elmassian coached the quarterbacks and running backs at both schools, before switching to defense at Ferrum College where he was defensive coordinator from 1979-82. He also coached the inside linebackers at Virginia from 1987-90.
Michel, the most tenured coach on the ULM staff, moves from his role as the defensive line coach to the co-defensive coordinator position as he heads into his 10th season with the Warhawks.
“Coach Michel is an outstanding football coach and he is well deserving of the promotion,” Weatherbie said. “We wanted to stay with what we have been doing on defense and he has been hands on with it from the beginning.”
Pollard joins the ULM staff after nine seasons coaching several different positions on the Southern Mississippi defense following a stellar playing career with the Golden Eagles.
He spent the last two seasons coaching both the defensive backs and special teams, which included seven all-conference selections. The five years prior to moving to the secondary, Pollard coached the linebackers as well as the special teams.
“Coach Pollard is one of the sharpest young coaches in the country,” Weatherbie said. “He was an outstanding player at Southern Mississippi and didn't miss a beat moving from the playing field to the coaching ranks.”
Under his guidance, Michael Boley and Kevin Coley both received Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year honors and Darren McCaleb was a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award.
Pollard began his coaching career leading the wolf linebackers and defensive ends.
Southern Mississippi went to eight bowl games and won two Conference USA championships during his tenure.
Elmassian and Pollard replace Kim Dameron and Kirk Botkin who departed from jobs at Ole Miss and Arkansas, respectively. Weatherbie is still looking to fill one more position on the coaching staff.
Transaction?ULM names Phil Elmassian co-defensive coordinator and Lytrell Pollard linebackers coach and special teams coordinator. Manny Michel promoted to co-defensive coordinator.
