Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1499919
J U N E / J U L Y 2 0 2 3 2 7 E valuating the impact of Ji'Ayir Brown on the players around him last season, coach James Franklin offered an acknowledgment. Yes, the fifth-year senior safety had been outstanding and had played an integral role in Penn State's defensive plans. But another aspect of the Nittany Lions' success needed to be addressed. Throughout the season, Franklin had been paying attention to the per- formance of the team's young safeties — then-sophomore Jaylen Reed, red- shirt freshman Zakee Wheatley and true freshman Kevin Winston Jr. Whenever he watched tape of the defense, Franklin couldn't help but notice that everyone in the secondary played better when the veteran Brown, known to coaches and teammates as "Tig," was on the field. Brown couldn't play every defensive snap, though, and the coaches wanted to find a way to ensure that the young players were as comfortable as possible even when their leader was on the side- line. To resolve that dilemma, they turned to Keaton Ellis. "Keaton is another guy who's experi- enced," Franklin said. "When Tig wasn't on the field, we wanted to make sure Ke- aton was on the field, because he could have a similar impact. We need Keaton to step into that role moving forward." Ellis, who will be a fifth-year senior this fall, heard the message and delivered on its challenge for the Nittany Lions this spring. He was named one of three team captains coming out of spring practice, taking his place alongside junior tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu on offense and red- shirt sophomore linebacker Dominic De- Luca on special teams. Ellis is soft-spoken by nature, but the way he has handled his business over the past four years at Penn State has made him a player worth emulating. "My leadership style is just lead by ex- ample. Show everybody, and especially the younger players, what it means to be a part of this team, and what it takes, and your work ethic at practice," Ellis said. "I think a step that I took this spring is just speaking up when I needed to speak up. "I'm not the most super outgoing and talkative person and don't have a huge personality. That's not my forte. But at the end of practice, talking to my safeties or the defense, I make sure to just give it a few words, whatever needs to be said." Exciting Potential Ellis came to Penn State in 2019 after a stellar career at nearby State College Area High. He had been a two-way star for the Little Lions, totaling 1,376 all- purpose yards as a senior, while finish- ing with 51 tackles, 4 interceptions, 9 pass breakups and 3 fumble recoveries on defense. Ellis was recruited as a defensive back by Penn State and began contributing immediately. As a true freshman in 2019, he played in all 13 games and made one start at cornerback. And although early- season absences during the 2020 COVID campaign limited Ellis to five starts over six games as a sophomore, he made an impact with his first career interception to go along with 12 tackles and 2 pass breakups. Intrigued by his versatility, the team's defensive coordinator at the time, Brent Pry, moved Ellis into a new role ahead of the 2021 campaign. Ellis was listed at 5-foot-11, 191 pounds, and the coaching staff liked his potential as a safety. That seemed to suit his long-term interests, and it also coincided with the Lions' im- mediate needs. "I'm not the most super outgoing and talkative person and don't have a huge personality. That's not my forte. But at the end of practice … I make sure to just give it a few words, whatever needs to be said." E L L I S W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M