Ross Els: HOT
* Inside LBs/special teams coach at Colorado.
* Sources told SpartanMag.com on Feb. 21 that Els is a strong candidate to head to Michigan State to join Tucker's staff.
* Els coached inside linebackers at Colorado for three seasons. Tucker retained Els from previous coach Mike MacIntyre's staff.
* When Els joined Tucker's staff, Els added special teams coordinator to his duties.
* Els, who will be 54 next season, will be a 30-year veteran of collegiate coaching next season. He has coached in 212 Division 1-A (FBS) games and seven bowl games.
* A native of Lincoln, Neb., he was defensive coordinator at Purdue under Darrell Hazell in 2016.
* Els was a linebackers coach at Nebraska under Bo Pelini from 2011-14. He was special teams coordinator and recruiting coordinator for his last three years at Nebraska.
* He was linebackers coach at Ohio University under Frank Solich from 2005 to 2010, spending four years as special teams coordinator.
* Els coached four years at New Mexico State, serving as defensive coordinatoar for two years.
* Els was head coach at Hastings College in Hastings, Neb., from 1997-2000. He also spent one year as QBs coach and one year as defensive coordinator at Hastings.
* He was also a defensive backs coach at Northern Iowa (1994) and Nebraska-Omaha (1990-93).
