Home UVA Football: Elliott announces staff additions, new titles for 2026 season
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UVA Football: Elliott announces staff additions, new titles for 2026 season

Chris Graham
tony elliott gator bowl
Tony Elliott. Photo: UVA Athletics

UVA Football coach Tony Elliott announced on Thursday the promotions of ShaDon Brown to cornerbacks coach and Joey Orck to offensive line coach.

“With ShaDon and Joey stepping into larger roles, it’s a testament to how our program is committed to the development of not only our student-athletes, but our staff as well,” Elliott said. “ShaDon and Joey have earned their opportunities. I’m proud of the dedication they have put towards this program and excited for our players to continue to improve under their direction.”

Brown is in his second season at UVA after serving four years as a co-defensive coordinator at West Virginia. His coaching resume also includes stops at Louisville (2019-2020), Colorado (2017-2018), Army (2016) and Wofford (2011-2015).

Brown’s new responsibilities also include off-Grounds recruiting efforts previously assigned to defensive coordinator John Rudzinski.

Curome Cox will shift to the safeties and continue to operate as the defensive pass game coordinator.

Orck enters his fifth year at Virginia and has more than 15 years of college football coaching experience between his time at Vanderbilt (2008-2013), Presbyterian (2014-2021) and UVA.

Orck succeeds Terry Heffernan, who was recently named the offensive coordinator at Stanford.

Orck was on Elliott’s first Virginia staff in 2022 as an offensive analyst and later promoted to senior offensive analyst prior to the 2024 season.

Elliott also announced on Thursday the return of Jonathan Celestin as the assistant defensive backs coach and the addition of Landon Martin as assistant offensive line coach.

Celestin returns to Virginia after spending the 2025 season as the linebackers coach at UAB. He was previously on Elliott’s staff as a grad assistant in the 2023 and 2024 seasons.

Celestin played at Minnesota, and his NFL career included time with the Atlanta Falcons, Los Angeles Chargers, New York Jets and Carolina Panthers from 2018-2021.

Martin has ties to the state of South Carolina, where he was the offensive line coach at his alma mater, Newberry College (2021-2023) and a grad assistant at the University of South Carolina (2016-2018). Martin was a two-time all-conference selection at right tackle during his playing days at Newberry.

New staff titles for 2026


  • Patrick Ashford: Assistant Tight Ends Coach
  • Kam Butler: Assistant Defensive Line Coach
  • Coy DeWeese: Assistant Linebackers Coach
  • Davis Lewandowski: Assistant Wide Receivers Coach
  • Isaiah Macklin: Assistant Running Backs Coach
  • Drew Meyer: Assistant Special Teams Coach
  • Mike Moore: Assistant Defensive Line Coach
  • Maverick Morris: Assistant Director of Football Operations & Strategic Projects

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Chris Graham

Chris Graham

Chris Graham is the founder and editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1994 alum of the University of Virginia, Chris is the author and co-author of seven books, including Poverty of Imagination, a memoir published in 2019. For his commentaries on news, sports and politics, go to his YouTube page, TikTok, BlueSky, or subscribe to Substack or his Street Knowledge podcast. Email Chris at [email protected].

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