WEST LAFAYETTE – Purdue head football coach Darrell Hazell has announced the hiring of Ross Els as defensive coordinator.

“I love what coach Els brings to our staff,” Hazell said. “He is incredibly detailed, yet very simplistic in philosophy. Our players will be fundamentally sound and play with great enthusiasm. He has been an excellent recruiter at every place he has coached and I can’t wait to see our defense flourish with his addition to our team.”

Els returns to collegiate coaching after spending the 2015 season as an assistant coach at Lincoln Southwest, his son’s high school in Lincoln, Nebraska. A veteran of 26 seasons of coaching on the collegiate level, he most recently spent four seasons (2011-14) as linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator at Nebraska. Els helped the Cornhuskers to a 37-16 record and four bowl appearances: 2012 and 2013 Capital One, 2014 Gator and 2014 Holiday.

Under Els’ guide, NU linebacker Lavonte David was named the 2011 Big Ten Linebacker of the Year and was one of six finalists for the Butkus Award, presented annually to the nation’s top linebacker. David was also a semifinalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award and the Lott Trophy en route to being selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft.

In 2012, Els’ mentee Will Compton topped the team with 110 tackles, including 6.0 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks, to help Nebraska to 10 regular-season wins and a berth in the Big Ten Championship Game.

Prior to Nebraska, Els served as linebackers coach at Ohio from 2005 to 2010, including the last season as assistant head coach. He helped the Bobcats to three bowl appearances, two Mid-American Conference East Division championships and coached four All-MAC linebackers.

Els’ other experience includes four seasons as New Mexico State as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach (2003-04) and special teams and safeties coach (2001-02); six seasons at Hastings College as head coach (1997-2000), defensive coordinator and secondary coach (1996) and quarterbacks coach (1995); two seasons at Northern Iowa as secondary coach (1994) and a graduate assistant (1989); and four seasons at Nebraska-Omaha as secondary coach (1990-93).

As Hastings’ head coach, Els compiled a 32-9 record, including NAIA playoff appearances in 1998 and 1999.

Els (born Aug. 14, 1965) is a 1988 graduate of Nebraska-Omaha, where he played safety. He and his wife, Jane, have two daughters, Julie and Taylor, and a son, Bo.