Chargers Coaches | Los Angeles Chargers - chargers.com

A 27-year coaching veteran, Mike Elston comes to Los Angeles to coach the defensive line after holding the same position while also working as a recruiting coordinator the last two seasons at the University of Michigan, his alma mater. He coached a Wolverines defensive line in 2023 that was part of the top-ranked defense in the country, allowing just 17 touchdowns on the season and averaging 247.0 yards allowed and 10.4 points allowed per game. Elston played outside linebacker at Michigan from 1993-96, before beginning his coaching career with the Wolverines, working for the program from 1997-2000 in various capacities. He was a student assistant coach in 1997 for the program's National Championship campaign. The next year, he was a video intern before working as a graduate assistant coach from 1999-2000, working with the outside linebackers.

Elston then coached defensive ends during the 2001 season at Eastern Michigan before switching to recruiting coordinator/defensive line coach (2002-03). He went to Central Michigan to coach the defensive line in 2004, adding co-defensive coordinator duties in 2005 before transitioning to special teams coordinator/linebackers coach in 2006 for the Chippewas. Elston moved on to Cincinnati, coordinating the special teams from 2007-09 while also coaching tight ends for his first two seasons and defensive line for his third season with the Bearcats. In his final stop before his return to Michigan, Elston coached at the University of Notre Dame from 2010-21, tutoring the defensive line nine seasons (2010-14, '17-21) and the linebackers from 2015-16. He held numerous additional roles for the Fighting Irish, including special teams coordinator (2010-11), recruiting coordinator (2015-17, '21), associate head coach (2018-20) and run game coordinator (2021).