Bryan Ellis begins his first season as the wide receivers coach for the Hilltoppers after previously spending his first year as a full time assistant leading the WKU running back corps.
In his first year, Ellis inherited a bevy of talented, experienced running backs, including a senior leader in Leon Allen who had rushed for over 1,500 yards the previous season. Three games in, however, Ellis was charged with replacing Allen who suffered a season-ending knee injury. WKU's running backs responded by producing a sixth-straight 1,000-yard rusher in Anthony Wales and an All-Freshman running back in D'Andre Ferby, the league's top one-two combo in the back field.
Ellis came to The Hill in 2014 to serve as an offensive quality control coach, where he assisted then-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Tyson Helton with the development of the Hilltopper signal callers. That year was the beginning of WKU's transition into one of the nation's top passing offenses as quarterback Brandon Doughty led the FBS in passing yards (4,830) and touchdowns (49) in what was then his senior year.
Ellis enjoyed a stellar prep and collegiate career at the position at his alma mater and most recent coaching stop, UAB, where he spent the 2013 season in a similar capacity for the Blazers.
In 2010, Ellis had nine starts at quarterback for the Blazers with 2,940 passing yards and 25 touchdowns in 11 total games. After his playing career was done, Ellis transitioned to a graduate assistant coaching role working with the quarterbacks for the previous two seasons.
Ellis, a Byron, Ga., native, had an outstanding prep career at Peach County High and was tabbed the Atlanta Journal-Constitution AAA State Offensive Player of the Year. He passed for more than 3,600 and threw 31 touchdowns as a senior, leading his Trojans' squad to a 14-1 record and Class AAA State Championship.
