38-year coaching veteran Bob Elliott passes away at 64

38-year coaching veteran Bob Elliott has passed away.

The Des Moines Register reported that the 64-year old Elliott died in hospice care Saturday night in Iowa City.

The former Iowa player (1972-75) and long-time Hawkeye coach (1987-1998) joined Mike Riley's staff in mid-February as a safeties coach, before stepping down from his full-time coaching position this past June.

"We are deeply saddened by the passing of Bob Elliott," Riley said in an official statement. "Bob was a wonderful man with a great family. Bob has left an impact on and off the field that will be remembered for many years to come.

“In his short time with our program, Coach Elliott developed a great relationship with the young men in our football program and our staff. Our thoughts and prayers are with Bob’s wife, Joey, and his entire family during this difficult time.”

Elliott came to Nebraska because of his connection to newly hired defensive coordinator Bob Diaco.

Elliott coached Diaco at Iowa, and later coached under him at Notre Dame when Diaco was the Irish's defensive coordinator.

“Coach Elliott has been a father figure and mentor to me for almost 30 years," Diaco said. "During my life I have met few people that possess the amount of toughness Coach Elliott had, while also possessing the same amount of class. Coach Elliott had unwavering principles and that combination of traits put him in company with very few.”

Elliott was on the road recruiting for NU in mid-May, but eventually was replaced by a graduate assistant for personal reasons.

Elliott had a long-history of medical issues. Four years ago at Notre Dame he received a kidney transplant from his sister Betsy and stepped down from his assistant coaching position and moved into an analyst role.

In 1998 at Iowa, Elliott was diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer and received a bone marrow transplant. If not for this medical setback, many considered Elliott a leading candidate to replace Hayden Fry after he retired in 1998.

Along the way, Elliott made coaching stops at Nebraska, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas State, Notre Dame, San Diego State, North Carolina, Ball State and Kent State.

Elliott was the son of former Michigan head football coach and Iowa athletic director Bump Elliott, who hired Fry in Iowa City. His uncle, Pete Elliott, was the head coach at Nebraska in 1956.

Elliott is survived by his wife Joey, son Grant and daughter Jessica.