PORTLAND, Ore.— Lewis & Clark College Director of Physical Education & Athletics Mark Pietrok announced the appointment of Brett Elliott as the 12th head coach in the history of Lewis & Clark College football on Wednesday afternoon.
Elliott comes to Lewis & Clark from NCAA DIII power Linfield University, where he was the 2005 National Player of the Year as a player and served two stints as a coach. He most recently served as the Wildcats offensive coordinator for the past six years. In addition to serving as the team's head coach, he will work with the team's quarterbacks and serve as the team's lead recruiter in Oregon (North of Corvallis) and Tacoma, Washington.
"I am extremely excited to welcome Brett and wife Whitney to the Pioneer family,” Pietrok said. “Brett has a long history of demonstrated success, both as a player and a coach, and I believe he will bring this competitive leadership to the Lewis & Clark College football program. I look forward to where he takes our program and how he will influence our student-athletes in their journey toward success both on the field and in the classroom. I am confident he is the coach that will allow our program and students to flourish!"
Elliott, who is a native of Lake Oswego, has been building to this point since he started coaching in 2008. Over the past decade-plus, he has spent stints at Linfield (two), Mississippi State University (two), James Madison University and Texas State University (two).
“Lewis & Clark College was my backyard for 18 years growing up,” Elliott said. “I have always been drawn to the beauty of the campus and the seemingly remote location of a city campus. I have been watching the football program grow and improve to a point of competing in the Northwest Conference and see it as an opportunity to help get us over the top to the conference championship and NCAA playoffs.”
In his most recent role as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Linfield, Elliott helped guide the Wildcats to the NCAA DIII Tournament in four of his five seasons, including a trip to the quarterfinals in 2021. The Wildcats averaged 42 points or more in all five seasons and led all of Division III in passing offense (379.2) in 2019 and red-zone offense (95.0 percent) in 2024. Linfield’s quarterbacks earned All-Conference honors in all five seasons under Elliott and Wyatt Smith was named the NWC Offensive Player of the Year in 2019 and 21. Smith was named a finalist for the Gagliardi Trophy, an award given annually to a Division III football player for exhibiting excellence in athletics, academics and community service, during the 2021 campaign.
“Our football program will be one filled with competitiveness and excellence in every area of our coaches' and players' lives,” Elliott noted. “It will be a program of development, not only on the field and in the weight room, but also of the mind, spirit and success building. The Lewis & Clark football program will be filled with hard work, competition, and excellence, which in turn will set up our players for a successful future in whatever endeavor they pursue.”
Prior to his second stint at Linfield, Elliott spent seven seasons working at the NCAA DI level. He coached for four seasons with Mississippi State University, first as an offensive graduate assistant and offensive quality control coach (2012-15) and then as the team’s quarterbacks coach in 2017. During his time with the Bulldogs, he worked with Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and 2017 Davey O’Brien Award Semifinalist (top quarterback in FBS) Nick Fitzgerald. The Bulldogs were ranked number one in the country for five weeks during the 2014 season. In his final game with the program in 2017, Elliott served as the interim offensive coordinator for the team’s 31-27 win over the University of Louisville in the TaxSlayer Bowl.
“I would like to thank Mark Pietrok, along with Sharon Sexton for leading this interview process and selection,” Elliott mentioned. “There are a ton of great football coaches out there and I'm honored and humbled to be selected as the one to lead the Lewis & Clark football program into the next phase of challenging for conference championships and making playoff runs.
I would also like to thank Jay Locey and Steve Coury who have been two instrumental men in my playing and coaching development. Lastly, I want to thank Joe Smith and the Linfield staff for making the last 5 years in McMinnville growing our family an awesome experience.”
Elliott had an impressive playing career. He spent three years at Division I University of Utah, before transferring to Linfield for his final two seasons. Elliott played in 12 games with the Utes from 2000-03. He then put together one of the most decorated careers in Linfield history. The quarterback led Linfield to a 23-1 record across the 2004 and 2005 seasons, including a perfect 13-0 season in 2004 that culminated with a National Championship. He was named the 2005 winner of the Gagliardi, Melberger (best player in DIII) and D3football.com Offensive Player of the Year awards. Elliott earned All-American honors in both seasons as a Wildcat. He finished his Linfield career as the program-record holder in nearly every category and still owns the NCAA DIII record for most touchdown passes in a season (61 in 2004), and the career records for touchdowns per game (4.6), yards per game (364.4), and the highest average yards gained per play (9.8).
He went on to play professionally from 2006-11 and spent time on the roster of the San Diego Chargers (National Football League), Hamilton Tiger-Cats (Canadian Football League) and the San Jose Sabercats, Utah Blaze and Georgia Force of the Arena Football League. Elliott started for the Blaze in 2010 and threw for over 2,600 yards and 59 touchdowns.
