Elon, N.C. – Elon University Head Coach Tony Trisciani has announced that Casey Vance has been elevated to defensive coordinator, filling a hole left by the departure of Devonte Edwards. Vance has been at Elon since 2022 and had served as the inside linebackers coach and defensive run game coordinator.
 
"We are a developmental program, and I really value continuity, consistency in teaching and staff chemistry," Trisciani said. "We are a fingerprint defense, meaning everyone in the defensive staff room contributes to the plan. Casey has been very involved in coordinating our run fits with our coverage concepts so that our linebackers can play fast and physical. As a player, Casey worked his way from being a walk-on linebacker at West Virginia to playing in 23 games and starting eight as a senior, including an Orange Bowl win over Clemson. He was smart and tough as a player and I expect our defense to play that way under his leadership."
 
Along with that move, Trisciani has announced that Dominique Battle has been named safeties coach and Akeem Dent will coach the spurs. Milo Austin will remain special teams coordinator and will slide to the cornerbacks, while Nate Harris will take over as the program's recruiting coordinator.
 
Vance has worked on the defensive side of the ball since beginning his coaching career as a defensive graduate assistant for linebackers at Arizona. Was a linebackers coach at Notre Dame (Ohio) and then served as a defensive graduate assistant for linebackers at both Kentucky and his alma mater West Virginia. From there, he moved into a defensive analyst role at West Virginia before accepting the job at Elon in 2022.
 
During his time at Elon, the Phoenix defense has been opportunistic and talented. The defense ranked No. 19 in scoring defense in 2022 and among the top 25 in fumbles recovered, turnover margin and quarterback sacks. In 2023, the defense once again ranked among the top 25 teams in the country in turnover margin and quarterback sacks, adding a top 25 passing defense to the mix. The 2024 team ranked No. 18 in third down defense, No. 27 in first downs allowed and No. 32 in rushing defense.
 
Vance oversaw the development of linebackers Marco Patierno and Brandon Tyson at Elon. Each were named freshman All-Americans in 2023 and Patierno was one of 22 players recognized on the midseason Jerry Rice Watch List as a candidate for national freshman of the year. The duo combined for 141 tackles and 14.0 for loss that season.
 
Prior to his time at Elon, Vance's teams played in five bowl games at West Virginia and the 2020 team had the country's No. 1 ranked pass defense. At Arizona, Vance coached Scooby Wright, the PAC-12 Defensive Player of the Year and winner of the Bednarik, Nagurski and Lombardi Awards.
 
As a player at West Virginia, Vance was a two-time All-Big East Academic Team honoree. His squads went 48-17, won three Big East championships and the 2008 Fiesta Bowl and 2012 Orange Bowl.
 
Dent joined the program prior to the start of the 2024 season as an assistant defensive line coach; he will now coach the spurs, a position that has seen the development of All-American Marcus Hillman in 2022.
 
"Akeem Dent did a great job working with Coach Joe Perri and our defensive line last fall and will move to the second level of our defense this spring and coach our outside linebackers/spurs, a position that he played and coached at Georgia and in the NFL," Trisciani said. "Akeem will take over as our NFL Liaison and he will recruit the Atlanta area, where he grew up and was drafted by the Falcons in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft."
 
Battle will move over to safeties after working with Elon's cornerbacks in each of the past two seasons, adding the title of defensive pass game coordinator a year ago. Austin joined the Elon football program in 2022 and has coached the outside linebackers since that time, but will now take over the cornerbacks. Harris has also been at Elon since 2022, coaching the running backs.
 
"Dominique Battle and Milo Austin are talented coaches and will team up on our back end to continue the high-level recruiting and player development that has been the standard for us at Elon," Trisciani said. "Nate Harris has done a great job evaluating talent and building relationships on the road recruiting for us and will lead our recruiting efforts moving forward."