Prior to his tenure at Eastern Kentucky, Elder was an assistant coach at the University of Tennessee.

[1] Elder graduated from Sycamore High School in 1996, and played football at Case Western Reserve.

[4] On December 8, 2015, it was reported that Elder was to be named head football coach at Eastern Kentucky University.

[10] Additionally, Elder was named as a leading preseason candidate for the Eddie Robinson Award, given to the national coach of the year at the FCS level.

[11] Elder's contract at EKU was not renewed after finishing 7-4 and 7-5 in his final two seasons and failing to make the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.