2009 NEW ORLEANS BOWL CHAMPIONS
2009 NEW ORLEANS BOWL CHAMPIONS
2009 NEW ORLEANS BOWL CHAMPIONS
2009 NEW ORLEANS BOWL CHAMPIONS
2009 NEW ORLEANS BOWL CHAMPIONS
2009 NEW ORLEANS BOWL CHAMPIONS
steve ellis Steve Ellis, entering his second year at Middle Tennessee, made his first season as cornerbacks coach and special team’s coordinator for the Blue Raiders a memorable one. Ellis’ cornerbacks had 152 tackles, nine interceptions, 12 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and 21 pass breakups on their way to leading the Sun Belt Conference in pass defense and interceptions. Seniors Marcus Udell and Alex Suber were tabbed first team all-conference as Udell led the league with seven interceptions and Suber had 12 pass breakups while ranking 28th nationally in passes defended. His special teams blocked eight kicks, hit 18 of 22 field He started for three seasons for the Cologoal attempts, had 1,119 yards in kick returns, downed nels as a defensive back, before sitting out his 22 punts inside the 20-yard line, and had seven punts of senior season after suffering a knee injury 50 yards or more. Sophomore placekicker Alan Gendreau during the fourth game of the 2002 campaign earned first team all-conference honors. against Southern University. While with the Ellis made his way to Murfreesboro after serving the Colonels, Ellis was named to the All-Southland previous six seasons at Nicholls State, where he was the Conference team all three seasons he played defensive coordinator his final three years. Ellis, who also and registered over 200 career tackles and five served as the team’s pro liaison and supervised academic interceptions for the Colonels. Ellis, the team progress, was the team’s safeties coach in 2003 before captain in 2001, was second in the Southland taking over the linebackers in 2004 and 2005. Conference with 104 tackles during the 2000 The Stringer, Miss., native became one of the youngseason. est defensive coordinators in the country when he was The 29-year old was a four-year letterman named to the position prior to spring drills in 2006 and guided the Colonels to conference as a quarterback and defensive back at Stringer High School before continuing his playing best marks in scoring defense and pass defense. Nicholls finished the 2006 season ranked days at Nicholls State. Ellis earned his bachelor’s degree in secondary education from 19th nationally in total defense. Nicholls State in 2003. In 2007, Ellis’ unit led the Southland Conference in total defense, pass defense, interceptions, and was second in scoring defense. Overall, NSU ranked 33rd nationally in total defense. In six seasons at Nicholls State, Ellis’ players won seven first team all-conference honors, four National Player of the Week awards, three All-American honors, two conference Newcomer of the Year awards, and garnered THE ELLIS FILE a defensive player of the year accolade. During the summer of 2008, Ellis partici MIDDLE TENNESSEE pated in the NFL Coaches Fellowship Program Season at MT: 2nd Date Hired: February 9, 2009 with the Pittsburgh Steelers under Head Recruiting Area: West Tennessee Coach Mike Tomlin. Ellis worked with the (Memphis), Northeast Georgia, defensive backs under the guidance of leg West Coast Florida endary defensive coordinator Dick Lebeau. PERSONAL Birthdate: January 25, 1980 Hometown: Stringer, MS EDUCATION High School: Stringer, 1998 College: Nicholls State, B.S. Education, 2003 PLAYING EXPERIENCE Cornerback at Nicholls State (1998-2002) COACHING EXPERIENCE 2003: Nicholls State (Safeties) 2004-05: Nicholls State (Linebackers) 2006-08: Nicholls State (Defensive Coord.) 2009-Present: MT (Cornerbacks) BOWL EXPERIENCE 2009: New Orleans Bowl (coach)
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