TCU’s new defensive scheme has been no problem for former Aledo star DE Colt Ellison
Colt Ellison admitted he became a little bit nervous when he learned that TCU football would be transitioning to a 3-3-5 defensive scheme under new coordinator Joe Gillespie.
Ellison joined the Horned Frogs to play defensive end in Gary Patterson’s signature 4-2-5 defense and felt he became a more well-rounded player under Patterson’s tutelage over three seasons.
But Ellison, an Aledo product, had no interest in leaving for another program amid the coaching transition from Patterson to Sonny Dykes. So Ellison decided to give the new defensive scheme a chance this spring. It didn’t hurt that he developed a relationship with Gillespie during his recruitment out of high school.
“I love Fort Worth and I wanted to stay in Fort Worth,” Ellison said. “I knew Coach Gillespie from when he recruited me to Tulsa and I really like my relationship with him. It didn’t take me long to realize this is the place I’d love to stay.
“At first, I was nervous about the new system and I had to gain some more weight to fit in with a three-down front. But I fit in better than I originally thought. I think everybody was better than they thought they would be.”
That became evident throughout spring ball. The defense took significant strides in forcing takeaways and rushing the passer, two areas they struggled in last season.
Nobody showcased that growth on an individual level more than Ellison, who is currently 6-foot-4, 250 pounds. He made an impact play every day during spring practices.
Whether it was a sack or stopping the running back for no gain, Ellison always delivered. He did in the spring game, too, by batting down a pass from Josh Hoover on a fourth-down play that forced a turnover on downs one series.
“Colt has stood out quite a bit,” Gillespie said after the game. “He was a little bit nervous, ‘Hey, are you going to stick me down in here and take on doubles all the time?’ Now he’s starting to understand how we’re going to utilize him and utilize his quickness.
“We’re not just going to stick you down there and make you do those things. You’ve got a huge role in this defense and Colt has really started buying into that and grasping it and understanding it. The more he does that, the bigger the production.”
Ellison has been used mostly in a reserve role his first three seasons. He has 19 career tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss, in 25 games. Last season, Ellison had seven tackles, one fumble recovery, one QB hurry and one breakup in 11 games.
Ellison sees an expanded role for himself this upcoming season.
“I think I’ll step into a bigger role this year, I’m becoming more of a leader,” Ellison said. “Hopefully I’ll make some more plays and keep the defense rolling.”
Ellison’s relatively seamless transition into TCU’s new defense doesn’t come as a surprise to those who coached him before. Ellison was rated as a three-star prospect coming out of Aledo. He had 43 tackles and 6.5 sacks before his senior season was cut short with a torn ACL and MCL.
“Colt was a dominant player in high school,” said Steve Wood, Ellison’s high school coach. “He was explosive. He was a big, long kid who had a great nose for the ball. And he’s just a super kid, fun to be around. He always had a smile on his face. He was never down. Even when he had that bad injury his senior year, he still showed up and supported his teammates.
“He’s really coachable. He’ll pick things up quickly. Hopefully he can finish up his college career the way he wants to.”
Ellison is listed as a senior on the Frogs’ website but sounded like a player who would like to extend his college career at least one more season. With the NCAA freezing eligibility in 2020 amid the pandemic, Ellison could return for the 2023 season as a super senior.
“I think we’ll definitely come back for the fifth year,” he said. “Just depends on how the season goes.”
Ellison and the Frogs are on a break before summer workouts resume in June. TCU will then go through its fall camp with the season opener set for Friday, Sept. 2 at Colorado.
