Virginia Tech football coach Brent Pry announced Monday the addition of Maryland’s Elijah Brooks as running backs coach, following a successful run with the Terps and powerhouse DeMatha Catholic High School.
“I’m excited to have Elijah and his family join our program,” said Virginia Tech Head Coach Brent Pry. “From my days recruiting DeMatha to competing against his position groups at Maryland, I have always been impressed by his professionalism, ability to recruit at a high level and develop good football players at both DeMatha and Maryland. His knowledge of the DMV footprint will be vital as we continue to re-establish ourselves in this region. ”
In four years at Maryland, Brooks demonstrated the ability to coach and develop running backs at the highest level in the Big Ten Conference. Each year a running back under his tutelage earned an opportunity in the NFL, including Anthony McFarland (Pittsburgh Steelers), Javon Leake (NY Giants), Jake Funk (LA Rams) and Tayon Fleet-Davis (Kansas City Chiefs).
In the 2022 season under Brooks, freshmen Roman Hemby and Antwain Littleton had breakout seasons, combining for six 100-yard games. Hemby earned Big 10 Player of the Week honors twice, rushing for 989 yards and 10 touchdowns on the season, placing him among the top 10 rushers in the Big Ten.
The new hire allows Stu Holt to take over the role of tight ends coach, while offensive coordinator Tyler Bowen will serve as quarterbacks coach. Holt has six seasons worth of experience coaching tight ends at Western Kentucky, South Florida and Louisville. In the 2021 season with the Cardinals, Holt tutored Marshon Ford who was a three-time all-ACC tight end. Ford led the team and ACC with 49 receptions for 550 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Over the course of his career, Brooks has a proven track record of establishing and cultivating relationships throughout Virginia Tech’s recruiting footprint. His recruiting prowess can be traced to strong connections in D.C., Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania.
As a head coach at DeMatha Catholic High School (Md.) he compiled a 72-20 record, which is the best eight year run in school history, leading the Stags to four consecutive conference and state championships (2013-16). Competing in arguably the nation’s toughest high school football conference, the 2022 DeMatha Catholic High School Hall of Fame inductee garnered Washington Catholic Athletic Conference Coach of the Year awards in both 2014 and 2016. Brooks also led DeMatha to three top 20 national finishes. His high school coaching resumes also includes developing 6 current NFL players.
A Largo, Maryland native, Brooks is a 2007 William & Mary graduate, Brooks starred as an all-conference running back, finishing as the school’s sixth all-time leading rusher. He and his wife, Tierra, have three children, Zoey, Zayia and Elijah Jr.
–VT Athletics
