Georgia State HC Elliott resigns, heading to South Carolina as assistant

ATLANTA (AP) - Georgia State abruptly postponed spring football practice on Thursday after Shawn Elliott became the latest head coach to accept an assistant's job at another school.

Elliott is headed to South Carolina as tight ends coach, pending the expected approval from the university's board of trustees at a Friday morning meeting.

The Panthers, meanwhile, were scrambling to find a successor after the unexpected loss of the coach who guided the Sun Belt Conference school to five bowl games in his seven-year tenure.

The school was forced to postpone spring practice, which had started on Tuesday, as well as its March 7 spring game at Center Parc Stadium.

"I know this was a difficult decision for him, but I understand his personal reasons, and we wish the best for Shawn and his family," Georgia State athletic director Charlie Cobb said. "I am confident that we will hire an outstanding football coach who will take Georgia State football to even greater heights."

Elliott was 41-44 at Georgia State, including a 4-1 record in bowl games, but he never played for or won a conference championship. His final team started 6-1, but closed the regular season with a five-game losing streak before a 45-22 victory over Utah State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

Elliott is returning to his native state, having previously served as a South Carolina assistant as well as six games as interim head coach in 2015 after Steve Spurrier retired during the season. The Gamecocks went 1-5 under Elliott, who left for Georgia State before the 2017 season.

"It's extremely difficult to step away from the Georgia State football program, particularly the players and staff who have gone above and beyond," Elliott said in a statement. "As hard as this decision is professionally, it's something that I must do personally."

Elliott joins other non-power conference head coaches who have left for assistant jobs at higher-profile programs. Alabama lured Buffalo's Maurice Linguist to be its cornerbacks coach and South Alabama's Kane Wommack to serve as defensive coordinator under new head coach Kalen DeBoer.

In addition, UCLA's Chip Kelly left to take the Ohio State offensive coordinator job in the unprecedented move for a power-conference head coach.

Elliott said he was proud of his accomplishments at Georgia State, a downtown Atlanta university that launched its football program in 2010.

"GSU football is poised to do great things, and I know these young men do just that," Elliott said. "I will always be grateful that I was allowed to be a small part of the journey."