The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Continuing the legacy: DeShon Elliott honored to be named Thorpe Award Finalist
11.24.2017 | Football
Elliott combines knack for interceptions, hard hits in breakout junior campaign.
By James Rodriguez
Ask defensive back DeShon Elliott about his stellar junior season — a breakout campaign that has earned him a nod as a Thorpe Award Finalist — and the conversation will quickly turn to restoring the title of Defensive Back University at Texas.
He'll rattle off names from DBU lore, several of whom have contended as Thorpe Award Finalists in years past.
Michael Huff. Earl Thomas. Aaron Ross. Quentin Jammer. The list goes on.
Elliott may be in a class of his own when he takes the field on Saturdays, but he's well aware of the long line of Texas defensive backs who have come before him.
"I look up to all the previous DBs, because I want to continue the legacy for them," Elliott said. "I'm still shocked and it still has not hit me that I'm part of that group, because I never thought I would be a part of this. I came here to try to make a change and try to be the best that I could be, but I never thought this would happen to me ever in life. I'm just grateful for it."
Huff, who currently works as a quality control coach at Texas, joins Ross as one of two Longhorns to take home the Thorpe Award since its inception in 1986. From his position within the team, Huff has watched Elliott develop into an elite defensive back capable of becoming the first Longhorn to claim the trophy since he himself won it in 2006.
"When you come to DBU, that Jim Thorpe statue is one of the first things you see and it provides motivation for you and all of the DBs throughout your career," Huff said. "When one of us is a finalist, all of us are. It's definitely a unit pride thing and I'm so happy for DeShon and everyone in our room."
The Thorpe Award will be handed to the nation's top defensive back come December, but its namesake, Jim Thorpe, is widely remembered as the game's best all-around athlete. In similar fashion, Elliott has proven his worth in all facets of the game this season.
Elliott has intercepted opposing quarterbacks six times this season, two of which he's returned for touchdowns. Those interception numbers rank second in the nation and seventh in school history for a single season.
Elliott becomes a true nightmare for offenses when he combines a knack for finding the ball in pass coverage with his ability to make plays at the line of scrimmage. His 8.5 tackles for loss ranks second on the team, and he's notched 1.5 sacks on the season.
He borrows his signature celebration move — a wave of the hands as if to signal the end of a magic trick — from Batman's nemesis, the Joker, whose unpredictability he aims to emulate on the field.
"He says what he wants, does what he wants, and has a smile on his face doing it," Elliott said. "And for the most part, that's what I do."
Elliott proved that point early in the fourth quarter against West Virginia on Nov. 18. Texas led 21-7, forcing the Mountaineers to attempt a shot at the end zone on fourth down. A miscommunication meant that both Elliott and another defender were covering the same man, leaving another receiver open in the corner of the end zone.
"I see the quarterback look, but he wasn't looking to where we were," Elliott said. "So I look over, I didn't even see the receiver, I just knew, 'Oh no, I know something's gonna be bad.' I just ran to where he was throwing the ball and knocked it away."
By swatting the ball away, Elliott turned what would have been a sure touchdown into a turnover on downs. Defensive coordinator Todd Orlando cites that instance as one example of the kind of plays that have generated buzz around Elliott since the start of the season.
"He's proven that he's physical, he's got elite vision back there," Orlando said. "That's the one thing that he doesn't get enough credit for. The play he made in the corner of the end zone wasn't even his play, but he's got such great vision he's able to knock the football down. He's got a great attitude…and there's still more at that ceiling in my opinion."
Elliott announced his presence in the 2016 season opener against Notre Dame, when he knocked the ball loose from wide receiver Torii Hunter Jr. in the end zone to prevent a touchdown. While his numerous interceptions have earned him the bulk of recognition this season, Elliott is just as happy to show off his prowess in preventing the run. He prompted a round of 'oohs' from fans at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium earlier this season when he sprinted to the line of scrimmage and plugged a hole in the offensive line, stopping a Kansas runner in his tracks for just a one-yard gain.
"This year I wanted to show everyone that I was not just a box safety, that I can do everything," Elliott said. "The fact that I'm able to show people in coverage that I can do that, and then me still showing that I am a big hitter, coming down against Kansas and just being able to make plays behind the line of scrimmage, that's a big-time deal. I feel good about my coaches trusting me to play all over the field. I'm glad that they have the trust in me to be able to do that."
Elliott, who talks often with former Texas defensive backs, said he'll leave it to them to decide whether he and the current crop of Longhorn defenders have restored Texas' claim to DBU.
"I'm just trying to extend their legacy and hope I can make them proud," Elliott said.
