Eliano Hired as Defensive Backs Coach
1/6/2026 10:42:00 AM | Football
Perry Eliano, a veteran coach with experience that includes mentoring NFL Draft picks, trips to the College Football Playoff, and multiple seasons leading the nation's top-ranked passing defense, has joined Fran Brown's staff as Syracuse's new Defensive Backs Coach.
"It's truly an honor and privilege to be a part of such a prestigious institution and a program with such a rich history and tradition," Eliano said. "The opportunity to work with Coach VK and do some special things here as a defense is extremely exciting to me. The respect level I've always had for Coach Fran coaching against him and seeing the relationships he's built in recruiting was a huge draw for me. My family and I are excited about embracing the University, the program, the community and everything that this opportunity entails."
Eliano comes to Syracuse after having spent the past two seasons at Toledo, where he coached cornerbacks and was the defensive passing game coordinator in 2025. The Rockets allowed the fifth-fewest passing yards in the FBS this season (158.0 yards per game), ranked fourth in passing efficiency defense (101.94), fifth in scoring defense (13.1 points per game) and second in total defense (254.3 yards per game).
"I'm excited that Coach Eliano is here with us," Brown said. "We've been competing for years when it comes to recruiting and he's always done an amazing job when it comes to developing. From when he was at Cincinnati with guys like Sauce Gardner, to when he was at Ohio State and we competed in the College Football Playoff, I've always respected his work. He develops players well and is a technician on the backend. He knows how to coach all five spots in the secondary, but where he'll really upgrade us is safeties and what we can do coverage wise and improving our tackling ability in the open field."
Both starting cornerbacks earned All-MAC honors in 2025 at Toledo, including Andre Fuller, who earned first team honors. Avery Smith was named to the second team, the second year in a row Eliano mentored him to all-conference honors. In 2024, Eliano's unit led the MAC with 13 interceptions.
Before Toledo, he spent two seasons at Ohio State, helping the Buckeyes to a 22-4 record in his two seasons coaching safeties. He helped Ohio State to the College Football Playoff in 2022 and a Cotton Bowl appearance in 2023. Ohio State had the No. 1 ranked pass defense in FBS in his second season with the Buckeyes. In 2022, he coached Ronnie Hickman, who was named Second-Team All-America by the Associated Press, before going on to the Cleveland Browns.
Prior to Ohio State, he was the cornerbacks coach for two seasons at Cincinnati, leading one of the nation's best secondary units. In 2021, his corners tandem of Coby Bryant and Sauce Gardner was the most decorated in the nation. Â Bryant won the Thorpe Award as the nation's outstanding defensive back and Gardner earned first-team All-America honors. Gardner was selected as the fourth overall pick in the first round by the New York Jets in the 2022 NFL Draft, while Bryant was taken in the fourth round by Seattle. Gardner went on to earn NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2022.
The 2021 Cincinnati team, led by Gardner and Bryant, made the school's only trip to the College Football Playoff and finished No. 1 nationally in pass efficiency defense (103.36), No. 2 in passing yards allowed (169.2), No. 3 in interceptions (19) and No. 4 in opponent completion pct. (53.9).
From 2018-19 he was the special team's coordinator and cornerbacks coach at New Mexico. In 2018, both of Eliano's starting corners – Jalin Burrell and D'Angelo Ross – went on to the NFL. He spent the 2016-17 teams at Bowling Green, serving as defensive coordinator and associate head coach.
Eliano also spent five seasons at Texas-San Antonio from 2011-15, as the safeties coach and special teams coordinator. He coached eight all-conference players at UTSA, including safety Triston Wade, who was UTSA's first Thorpe Award semifinalist and would sign with the Seattle Seahawks.
Eliano was an assistant at Central Arkansas from 2006-10. He coached defensive backs throughout his tenure and was named associate head coach prior to his final season. He coached the 2005 season as Sam Houston State's secondary coach after an earlier two-season stint at Central Arkansas as the running backs and wide receivers coach.
Eliano started coaching as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, Stephen F. Austin, from 2001-02. Eliano played safety for the Lumberjacks from 1996-99 and was the team's Defensive Most Valuable Player and leading tackler in both 1998 and 1999. He helped the Lumberjacks to the Southland Championship and was named all-conference following his senior season. He also was named the Ralph Todd Award (University's outstanding male athlete) winner the following spring.
A standout prep defensive back, Eliano was a three-year letterwinner at Ellison High School from 1993-95. He earned all-state honors following his senior season after helping the Eagles reach the Class 5A state quarterfinals.
Eliano earned his bachelor's degree from Stephen F. Austin in 2000 and a master's in secondary education in 2002. He and his wife, Regenia, have two sons, Amari and Evan.
Â
"It's truly an honor and privilege to be a part of such a prestigious institution and a program with such a rich history and tradition," Eliano said. "The opportunity to work with Coach VK and do some special things here as a defense is extremely exciting to me. The respect level I've always had for Coach Fran coaching against him and seeing the relationships he's built in recruiting was a huge draw for me. My family and I are excited about embracing the University, the program, the community and everything that this opportunity entails."
Eliano comes to Syracuse after having spent the past two seasons at Toledo, where he coached cornerbacks and was the defensive passing game coordinator in 2025. The Rockets allowed the fifth-fewest passing yards in the FBS this season (158.0 yards per game), ranked fourth in passing efficiency defense (101.94), fifth in scoring defense (13.1 points per game) and second in total defense (254.3 yards per game).
"I'm excited that Coach Eliano is here with us," Brown said. "We've been competing for years when it comes to recruiting and he's always done an amazing job when it comes to developing. From when he was at Cincinnati with guys like Sauce Gardner, to when he was at Ohio State and we competed in the College Football Playoff, I've always respected his work. He develops players well and is a technician on the backend. He knows how to coach all five spots in the secondary, but where he'll really upgrade us is safeties and what we can do coverage wise and improving our tackling ability in the open field."
Both starting cornerbacks earned All-MAC honors in 2025 at Toledo, including Andre Fuller, who earned first team honors. Avery Smith was named to the second team, the second year in a row Eliano mentored him to all-conference honors. In 2024, Eliano's unit led the MAC with 13 interceptions.
Before Toledo, he spent two seasons at Ohio State, helping the Buckeyes to a 22-4 record in his two seasons coaching safeties. He helped Ohio State to the College Football Playoff in 2022 and a Cotton Bowl appearance in 2023. Ohio State had the No. 1 ranked pass defense in FBS in his second season with the Buckeyes. In 2022, he coached Ronnie Hickman, who was named Second-Team All-America by the Associated Press, before going on to the Cleveland Browns.
Prior to Ohio State, he was the cornerbacks coach for two seasons at Cincinnati, leading one of the nation's best secondary units. In 2021, his corners tandem of Coby Bryant and Sauce Gardner was the most decorated in the nation. Â Bryant won the Thorpe Award as the nation's outstanding defensive back and Gardner earned first-team All-America honors. Gardner was selected as the fourth overall pick in the first round by the New York Jets in the 2022 NFL Draft, while Bryant was taken in the fourth round by Seattle. Gardner went on to earn NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2022.
The 2021 Cincinnati team, led by Gardner and Bryant, made the school's only trip to the College Football Playoff and finished No. 1 nationally in pass efficiency defense (103.36), No. 2 in passing yards allowed (169.2), No. 3 in interceptions (19) and No. 4 in opponent completion pct. (53.9).
From 2018-19 he was the special team's coordinator and cornerbacks coach at New Mexico. In 2018, both of Eliano's starting corners – Jalin Burrell and D'Angelo Ross – went on to the NFL. He spent the 2016-17 teams at Bowling Green, serving as defensive coordinator and associate head coach.
Eliano also spent five seasons at Texas-San Antonio from 2011-15, as the safeties coach and special teams coordinator. He coached eight all-conference players at UTSA, including safety Triston Wade, who was UTSA's first Thorpe Award semifinalist and would sign with the Seattle Seahawks.
Eliano was an assistant at Central Arkansas from 2006-10. He coached defensive backs throughout his tenure and was named associate head coach prior to his final season. He coached the 2005 season as Sam Houston State's secondary coach after an earlier two-season stint at Central Arkansas as the running backs and wide receivers coach.
Eliano started coaching as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, Stephen F. Austin, from 2001-02. Eliano played safety for the Lumberjacks from 1996-99 and was the team's Defensive Most Valuable Player and leading tackler in both 1998 and 1999. He helped the Lumberjacks to the Southland Championship and was named all-conference following his senior season. He also was named the Ralph Todd Award (University's outstanding male athlete) winner the following spring.
A standout prep defensive back, Eliano was a three-year letterwinner at Ellison High School from 1993-95. He earned all-state honors following his senior season after helping the Eagles reach the Class 5A state quarterfinals.
Eliano earned his bachelor's degree from Stephen F. Austin in 2000 and a master's in secondary education in 2002. He and his wife, Regenia, have two sons, Amari and Evan.
Â
Fran Brown Signing Day Press Conference
Wednesday, December 03
Syracuse Football - Signing Day Press Conference
Wednesday, December 03
Syracuse Football Postgame Press Conference
Saturday, November 29
Players Postgame vs. Boston College
Saturday, November 29
