University of Tennessee Athletics
Football
Elijah Blackman
- Title:
- Assistant Director of Football Sports Performance
Elijah Blackman serves as Tennessee’s assistant director of football sports performance as he joined Derek Owings’ staff in January 2026.
Blackman comes to Rocky Top after serving as the assistant strength and conditioning coach for Kansas State football the last three seasons (2023-25). The Wildcats posted back-to-back nine-win campaigns in 2023 and 2024, which included victories over Rutgers in the 2024 Rate Bowl and NC State in the 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl.
Prior to Kansas State, Blackman worked with the football program at Colorado State for three seasons (2019-22). He also has SEC experience having served as a graduate assistant at Arkansas for the 2018-19 athletic year. In Fayetteville, Blackman was responsible for overseeing the strength and conditioning efforts of baseball, men’s and women’s tennis and women’s basketball.
In 2017, Blackman was an intern at South Carolina, working closely with the Gamecocks’ baseball, men’s and women’s basketball and track and field programs.
A Tampa, Florida, native, Blackman attended Saint Leo University from 2013-17 and played four seasons of college basketball. He was awarded NABC Honors Court his junior and senior seasons for excelling on the court as well as in the classroom.
He obtained his bachelor’s degree in sport business from Saint Leo in December 2017.
The Blackman File
Hometown: Tampa, Fla.
Education: Saint Leo, 2017 (bachelor’s in sport business)
Playing Experience: Saint Leo – basketball (2013-17)
Coaching History
2017: South Carolina, Strength and Conditioning Intern
2018-19: Arkansas, Graduate Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach
2019-22: Colorado State, Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach
2023-26: Kansas State, Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach
2026-present: Tennessee, Assistant Director of Football Sports Performance
Blackman comes to Rocky Top after serving as the assistant strength and conditioning coach for Kansas State football the last three seasons (2023-25). The Wildcats posted back-to-back nine-win campaigns in 2023 and 2024, which included victories over Rutgers in the 2024 Rate Bowl and NC State in the 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl.
Prior to Kansas State, Blackman worked with the football program at Colorado State for three seasons (2019-22). He also has SEC experience having served as a graduate assistant at Arkansas for the 2018-19 athletic year. In Fayetteville, Blackman was responsible for overseeing the strength and conditioning efforts of baseball, men’s and women’s tennis and women’s basketball.
In 2017, Blackman was an intern at South Carolina, working closely with the Gamecocks’ baseball, men’s and women’s basketball and track and field programs.
A Tampa, Florida, native, Blackman attended Saint Leo University from 2013-17 and played four seasons of college basketball. He was awarded NABC Honors Court his junior and senior seasons for excelling on the court as well as in the classroom.
He obtained his bachelor’s degree in sport business from Saint Leo in December 2017.
The Blackman File
Hometown: Tampa, Fla.
Education: Saint Leo, 2017 (bachelor’s in sport business)
Playing Experience: Saint Leo – basketball (2013-17)
Coaching History
2017: South Carolina, Strength and Conditioning Intern
2018-19: Arkansas, Graduate Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach
2019-22: Colorado State, Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach
2023-26: Kansas State, Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach
2026-present: Tennessee, Assistant Director of Football Sports Performance
FB | Music City Bowl Postgame Press Conference (12.30.25)
Tuesday, December 30
FB | Joey Halzle & William Inge Music City Bowl Preview Press Conference (12.29.25)
Monday, December 29
FB | Josh Heupel Music City Bowl Preview Press Conference (12.29.25)
Monday, December 29
FB | DeSean Bishop Media Availability (12.27.25)
Saturday, December 27
