Judge Memorial assistant coach is inducted into the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame

Friday, Feb. 06, 2015

SALT LAKE CITY — Luther Elliss, Judge Memorial Catholic High School parent and assistant football coach, was inducted into the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Class of 2015 during the second annual Hall of Fame Enshrinement at the Polynesian Cultural Center in Honolulu, Hawaii Jan. 24.

Elliss, the defensive coordinator at Judge Memorial for the past two years, was among six inductees chosen by an eight-member Hall of Fame Selection Committee, among whom were former college football head coaches LaVell Edwards, Brigham Young University, and Ron McBride, University of Utah.

For consideration individuals must be retired from the National Football League for at least one full year, must be of Polynesian ancestry or have been born in Polynesia and have demonstrated a commitment to Polynesia. 

As a 501(c)(3) organization, the Hall of Fame serves as a resource for Polynesian football history, provides scholarships for Polynesian student-athletes and hosts educational programs for Polynesian youth. 

Elliss is of Samoan ancestry from Mancos, Colo. He played defensive tackle on a football scholarship at the University of Utah, where he was a three-time First-Team All-WAC selection, a 1994 WAC Defensive Player of the Year and Consensus All-American. He was selected by the Detroit Lions in the first round of the NFL draft and was the 20th player selected overall. Nicknamed “Pass Rushing Luther,” he played for the Lions from 1995 to 2003 and in two All-Star Pro Bowls (1999 and 2000). His last season was with the Denver Broncos in 2004; he retired in 2005. 

“Luther Elliss had a life he never dreamt of and in return he has given countless children a life they never dreamt of,” the inductee video states. “Number 94 became the backbone of the defensive line; a bull-rushing, run-stopping force for 10 seasons, pushing his 6 foot 5, 320-pound frame into opposing quarterbacks’ faces. Then there are the faces he’s protected. ...” 

Elliss is a motivational speaker for children. “I have a heart for children, so anytime there is an event where I can talk to or participate with the youth in communities, I try to make myself available,” he said. “The Polynesian Hall of Fame does so much for children; it’s an honor to be inducted.” 

Elliss and his wife, Rebecca, met at the University of Utah. They have been married 20 years and have five biological children and seven adopted children, some with learning disabilities. The couple met their 12th child when he was six days old at Primary Children’s Medical Center; he was born with a congenital heart defect and needed open-heart surgery the next day. 

“We were going to foster him for a while, but he never left us; he is 3,” said Rebecca. “Our oldest is 19. I always say our babies came straight from heaven because they just come to us.”  

As a coach, Luther has rapport with the players, said James Cordova, Judge Memorial head football coach. “Luther is an outstanding coach, but he is a better character,” he said. “He is engaging, he is nurturing, and they understand what he is telling them. He has two sons who play for Judge, and one who graduated last year, but he focuses on everybody like they’re his own kids. He brings a lot of hard work and dedication to the team.” 

“Coach Elliss always has a positive attitude and brings a lot of energy to practice,” said John Garlinghouse, a Judge Memorial offensive and defensive lineman. “He brought a sense of professionalism to our team, which is a big reason we won back-to-back state championships. He is somebody to look up to and somebody to trust because he was an NFL player.” 

Playing in the NFL was exciting and taught him about the game, said Elliss. “Now I am seeing it from a different perspective and hopefully I can share with the kids what I have gained over the years,” he said. “It requires an intelligent person to play the game and understand the concepts to be able to be an instinctive player, and that all comes from repetition.” 

Elliss teaches the Bulldogs attitude and technique, and “I offer the team encouragement,” he said. “It’s a great responsibility as a coach to help them enjoy the game and have a good experience with football.”