Rutgers Hires South Dakota Linebackers Coach Elijah Hodge

Hodge joins Scarlet Knights after three seasons developing top tacklers at South Dakota

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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Rutgers Football has hired former South Dakota assistant coach Elijah Hodge to be the Scarlet Knights' newest assistant linebackers coach. Hodge spent the last three seasons as the inside linebackers coach at South Dakota, where he helped produce 100+ tacklers each year.

Why it matters

Hodge's hiring represents an important addition to the Rutgers coaching staff as they look to continue improving their defensive unit. His experience developing top-tier linebackers at the FCS level could translate well to the Big Ten conference.

The details

In his three seasons at South Dakota, Hodge coached linebackers who led the team in tackles, including Stephen Hillis, Brock Morgensen, and Gary Bryant III. He helped the Coyotes reach the FCS Semifinals in 2024 after a Quarterfinals appearance the prior year. Prior to his college coaching debut, Hodge had experience building up a high school varsity program in Massachusetts and running a linebacker training business.

  • Hodge joined the South Dakota coaching staff in the spring of 2022.
  • In the 2022, 2023, and 2024 seasons, Hodge coached 100+ tackle linebackers at South Dakota.
  • The 2024 season saw South Dakota make their first-ever FCS Semifinals appearance under Hodge's guidance.

The players

Elijah Hodge

A former linebacker at Wisconsin and Northern Iowa, Hodge is making the jump to the Big Ten as Rutgers' new assistant linebackers coach after three successful seasons developing top tacklers at the FCS level with South Dakota.

Stephen Hillis

A linebacker who recorded 115 tackles under Hodge's coaching at South Dakota in 2022.

Brock Morgensen

A linebacker who recorded 106 tackles in 2022 and 113 tackles in 2023 under Hodge's coaching at South Dakota.

Gary Bryant III

A linebacker who recorded 103 tackles in 2024 under Hodge's coaching at South Dakota, helping the team reach the FCS Semifinals.

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What’s next

Hodge will look to immediately make an impact on the Rutgers defense as he joins the coaching staff for the 2026 season.

The takeaway

Rutgers has added an up-and-coming linebackers coach in Elijah Hodge, who has proven he can develop top-tier talent at the FCS level. His ability to get the most out of his players could be a valuable asset as the Scarlet Knights look to improve their defense in the Big Ten.