Luther Elliss, a Pro Bowl defensive tackle and a consensus All-American during his playing days, has joined the University of Idaho football staff as the Vandals' defensive line coach.
 
He joins sons, Kaden, a junior this fall, and Christian, who signed his letter of intent with the Vandals earlier this month, in Moscow. Both sons are linebackers.
 
"Luther is a tremendous addition to our staff," coach Paul Petrino said. "He knows the game inside and out – and he's an excellent teacher and motivator. He's a great leader of young men and an outstanding role model."
 
Elliss welcomes the opportunities – to coach at Idaho, to coach the defensive line and to be a part of the Vandal Family with his sons.
 
"Coach Petrino and his staff have done a great job of changing the culture and changing what the expectations are here," Elliss said. "I'm very excited to be a part of that."
 
He said he draws on his collective playing experience for his coaching style and methods.
 
"You can take the pluses and minuses and help shape your own thoughts and philosophies," he said. "Experience does help."
 
Elliss, a native of Mancos, Colo., was a consensus All-American at the University of Utah in 1994 and a first-round draft choice of the Detroit Lions. He earned all-Western Athletic Conference honors in 1992, 1993 and 1994, and was the league's Defensive Player of the Year in 1994.
 
After being chosen 20^th overall in the 1995, he went on to star for Detroit for the next nine seasons. He started 119 of 134 regular-season games and had 331 tackles and 29 sacks in a career that included selection to the 1999 and 2000 Pro Bowls. He played his final professional season at Denver.
 
He and his wife, Rebecca, have 12 children – seven of whom are adopted. He spent the past two seasons as the team chaplain for the Denver Broncos.
 
As for wearing the silver and gold along with his sons?
 
"I'm grateful," he said. "I made sure they were OK with me being here and being a part of this. I'm excited to be a part of the program with them and have this kind of be a family affair.
 
"We'll keep those Ws coming."