Now in his 16th season at Portland State, John Ely makes a return to field coaching full time as the Linebackers Coach. Ely has coached all over the field at PSU, including linebackers, safeties, special teams and running backs. In 2023-24, Ely took over as Director of Player Personnel as he led the drive to bring the top student-athletes to Portland State. He was also in charge of team travel.
Ely has spent the majority of his three-decade career coaching defense. He played a primary role in elevating the play of safety Patrick Onwuasor, who went from no honors in 2014 to first team All-Big Sky Conference, consensus All-American and second in National Defensive Player of the Year balloting in 2015. Onwuasor went on to an NFL career.
He also led Walter Santiago to honorable mention All-Big Sky honors. In addition, in 2015 the Viking defense doubled the number of turnovers forced (14 to 28), allowed 90 fewer passing yards per game, and cut nearly 12 points per game allowed.
Ely had great success working with Viking running backs in past seasons. PSU rushed for more than 2,000 yards in each season he coached the position.
The Vikings rushed for exactly 2,500 yards in 2014 with big contributions from Steven Long, Shaquille Richard and Nate Tago.
DJ Adams rushed for 1,600 yards (fourth-best in school history) in 2013 while leading a Viking running game to school records of 3,330 yards, 36 touchdowns and 6.0 yards per carry in 2013.Â
Portland State’s rushing average of 277.7 yards per game that season marked the third time in four seasons that the Viking program had established a new record. It also ranked third-best in the nation.
In 2012, PSU averaged 216.5 rushing yards per game and, though the yardage was down from a then-school-record 247.8 yards per game in 2011, the Vikings carried the ball 90 fewer times and thus had a higher yard-per-carry average (5.3 to 5.0).
Ely’s first year as running backs coach in 2011 was challenged by player injuries. But the remarkable production from his backs couldn’t have been better. His star, Cory McCaffrey, went from leading the nation in rushing (731 yards in five games) to out for the season with a torn achilles. And, though Willie Griffin and Shaquille Richard also battled injuries, he had them ready when needed. Richard rushed for 90 yards in his first career start at TCU. Griffin went for 84 yards in his first start at Eastern Washington. Even Denzel Davis, who moved over from cornerback on game week because of numerous injuries, rushed for 76 yards in a primary role in the season finale.
In the end, it was about production. And Ely got it from a group of running backs as the Viking team set a then-school record for rushing yards (2,726 yards) in 2011.
Prior to coaching running backs at PSU, Ely spent his first year working as special teams coordinator. He coached two of the most talented specialists in the Big Sky Conference in 2010 in kicker Zach Brown and punter Thomas Duyndam.
Brown went on to hold virtually every kicking record at PSU and was a consensus first team All-American in 2011. Duyndam had the third-best punting average in school history and ranked 11th in the nation at 42.6 yards per punt in 2010.
BACKGROUND
A long-time coach in the Pacific Northwest, Ely came to Portland State after two years as the defensive coordinator at Southern Oregon. He served two stints at Western Washington University, the latest from 1999 through 2005 as the Defensive Coordinator. WWU was 43-29 during that span and conference champions four times. The Vikings also reached the NCAA II Playoffs in 1999. Ely’s other stint at Western Washington was 1989-91.
Ely was linebackers coach, then defensive coordinator at Idaho State in 1997-98. He worked with PSU Offensive Coordinator Bruce Barnum while at ISU.
Ely also spent three years at San Diego State and two years at Washington State. While at WSU, the Cougars went to the Copper Bowl under the leadership of quarterback Drew Bledsoe.
A linebacker at Western Washington from 1985-87, Ely was named Special Teams Most Valuable Player twice. He has a degree from WWU in Physical Education.
THE JOHN ELY FILE
16th year at Portland State
Hometown: Anaheim, CA
Alma Mater: Western Washington, ‘87, Physical Education
Playing Experience: linebacker, Western Washington, 1985-87
Date of Birth: July 22, 1965
Family: Wife, Denise; daughters Lola and AvaÂ
COACHING EXPERIENCE
2010-25Â Â Portland State, Linebackers (2019-22, 2025)/Safeties (2015-18)/Running Backs (2011-14)/Special Teams Coordinator (2010)
2008-09Â Â Â Southern Oregon, Defensive Coordinator/Recruiting Coordinator
2006-07Â Â Â Mountain Ridge (AZ) High School, Defensive Backs
1999-05Â Â Â Western Washington, Defensive Coordinator
1997-98Â Â Â Idaho State, Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers
1994-96Â Â Â San Diego State, Graduate Assistant/Secondary
1992-93   Washington State, Recruiting Coordinator/Video Coordinator  Â
1989-91   Western Washington, Wide Receivers  Â
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ALL-BIG SKY CONFERENCE VIKINGSÂ UNDER JOHN ELY
2010 - SPECIAL TEAMS
HM: K Zach Brown, P Thomas Duyndam
2011 - RUNNING BACKS
1st team: RB Cory McCaffrey
2012 - RUNNING BACKS
HM: RB DJ Adams
2013 - RUNNING BACKS
1st team: RB DJ Adams (All-American)
2014 - RUNNING BACKS
HM: Steven Long
2015 - SAFETIES
1st team: Patrick Onwuasor, S (All-American)
HM: Walter Santiago, S
