Kevin Ellison: Bolt from the beach
Former Redondo Sea Hawk Kevin Ellison. Photo by Mike Nowak/San Diego Chargers
Frustrated with his lack of playing time and with a bye week ahead, Ellison was looking forward to having a weekend off and visiting his parents Charles and Judy at their home in Inglewood.
“You need to be out there to show what you can do and if you’re not, there’s really no other time to prove it,” said Ellison, who was selected by the Chargers in the sixth round. “It’s different being a rookie first-rounder. You get different reps. For me, I’m not getting that many reps to show what I can do. I’m still waiting for that opportunity.”
Ellison’s chance was not far away. Despite his lack of time on the field, somehow he was making an impression on the coaching staff. Two days after returning to his apartment near Mission Valley, Ellison was informed that the starting safety had been placed on waivers and he would be in the starting role the next game.
“Kevin called that Tuesday and said ‘Guess what. I’m starting,” Judy said. “He had to really scramble to get tickets for family and friends.”
Ellison’s debut was a special one, indeed. Not only were family and friends in attendance, but a national audience was viewing the Monday Night Football match up between AFC Western Division rivals San Diego and Denver.
The nationally-televised game also allowed former Redondo standout Keith Ellison – a starting linebacker for the Buffalo Bills – the opportunity to watch his younger brother perform.
“It was pretty exciting watching him,” Keith said. “It’s kind of cool. We always dreamed about being in the NFL and to actually see him out there playing was a pretty neat experience.”
There is a strong probability that the Ellison brothers will face each other in the future, something that has never happened to them before. In 2005, when Keith was a senior at Oregon State and Kevin a freshman at USC, the schools did not face each other.
Although the Chargers were on the short end of the score in Ellison’s first professional start, the team has since had four consecutive wins to pull even with division-leading Denver. In his first five games, the rookie had 26 tackles, 20 of them solo.
Soaring Sea Hawks
The youngest of four children, Kevin comes from an athletic background. His father Charles played football at LA Valley and Camille, the oldest sibling, was an All-City softball player at Westchester High School.
It was older brother Chris who Kevin and Keith credit for much of their success. He taught the younger Ellisons their hard work ethic and humility and, after a successful career as a defensive back at BYU, returned to coach them at Redondo High.
“I remember when I was in 8th grade, my brothers were going to work out at the YMCA,” Kevin said. “They asked me to go and I said, ‘No, I’m cool.’ They insisted that I go and from then on I went every time. That was the crossover right there. I told myself ‘No, you’re not sitting at home’ and went with them whether it was playing basketball, lifting weights or whatever. They taught me that work ethic. Chris really set the foundation for my football knowledge. We would watch film and look at USC’s defense and learn stuff that way.”
“I’m proud of them,” Chris said of his brothers. “They worked very hard since they were young. I’m living vicariously through them.”
Charles and Judy made it a point to give their children the best opportunity to succeed, both athletically and academically. Judy, who works for the United States Postal Service in Redondo Beach, helped deliver more than mail to the city. She was instrumental in providing two of the greatest athletes Redondo High has ever produced.
“Charles wanted Keith to play basketball for (then) coach Jim Neilson and that’s how the boys ended up at Redondo,” Judy said. “I think Kevin, being the youngest, had to work the hardest.”
Kevin did have big shoes to fill. Keith was an all-league quarterback for the Sea Hawks. In basketball, he was the CIF Player of the Year in 2002 after leading the Sea Hawks to their second consecutive CIF Division II-A title.
Following in Keith’s footsteps, Kevin excelled in basketball and football but gave up basketball after two years to concentrate on football. The decision paid off.
Kevin was a two-way starter at running back and linebacker and was three-time league MVP. He was selected All-CIF twice and was named to the Cal-Hi Sports All-State first team his senior year.
His junior year, Kevin rushed for 1,402 yards and 15 touchdowns while averaging 6.4 yards per carry. On defense, he recorded 101 tackles, three sacks and two interceptions, one which he returned for a touchdown. It was just a preview of things to come.
Ellison’s senior campaign was one for the record books. He ran for 1,661 yards on 230 carries (7.2-yard average), scoring 32 touchdowns. He caught 25 passes for 414 yards and five touchdowns. As a linebacker, Ellison made 115 tackles (10 for losses), five sacks, two fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles and two interceptions (one for a touchdown).
Playing for a school that fielded its first football team in 1915, Kevin set Redondo’s single-game and career rushing records. He set a school record when he rushed for 322 yards on 18 carries (17.9 avg.) in a single game, highlighting a senior year that saw him smash Redondo’s career rushing record with 3,718 yards on 578 carries (6.4 avg.).
“It’s special to me to hold the record,” Kevin said. “There were a lot of great football players before me. I remember all the guys I played with and I think it was special for all of us. We had a good team and that’s the first thing I think of. I can remember every high school game. It’s crazy. It was a great time.”
Kevin lists a game during his junior year at Redondo as one the two most exciting he has competed in.
“We played against Westlake. They were in the top 10 in the country and had probably 10 Division 1 players that year. We competed with them. Even though we lost something like 27-3, it was a fun game.
Ellison also considers USC’s home victory over Notre Dame during his sophomore year among the top of his list.
”They were No. 4 in the country and we were No. 2. It was the build up, it was the rivalry, and it was the great competition that made it a great game.”
Redondo head football coach Gene Simon said he feels fortunate to have had the opportunity to mentor the Ellisons.
“Both Kevin and Keith were a pleasure to coach and were true leaders who you could depend on,” Simon said. “There’s a time when you’re coaching a great player when trust evolves. During Kevin’s senior year, we were inside having a chalk talk before taking the field. Kevin had his helmet on and strapped up. He made a statement to the team that we’re going to be in business.
“Kevin was always super competitive. He made 20 tackles in a single game. We had a playoff game at St. Paul and were down 10-0 at halftime. Kevin scored on a 60-yard run and even though we lost 13-12, he played every play and always had more to give. He never gave up.”
Former head football coach and current athletic director Les Congelliere has been at Redondo High since 1970 and has watched many great athletes don Sea Hawk red and black.
“The Ellison brothers together were the two most dominant football players I’ve ever seen and we’ve had some good ones,” Congelliere said. “Whether it was football or basketball, they were the ones you wanted to have the ball when the game was on the line.
“The thing about Kevin and Keith, they are the classiest young men who ever played the game of football — from their demeanor to their humility. They never had a big head. They’re just great people. I have nothing but good things to say about their entire family. Their parents did an outstanding job.”
Naturally proud as parents, Charles and Judy exude the humble demeanor conveyed by their children. “We just raised them to always be thoughtful of others,” Charles said. “We’re really blessed to have successful children and are thankful for their friends, teachers and counselors who have helped them along the way.”
An early exit
Much to his parent’s surprise, Kevin decided to forego his final semester at Redondo High, graduate early and enroll at USC in order to get a jump on the other incoming freshman vying for a spot on Pete Carroll’s team.
“I was ready to give up the spring of my high school senior year,” Kevin said. “It was a hard decision to make but for me, I knew what I wanted and it’s to be here (in the pros). Early arrival at USC was big for me. Going from high school to big-time college football is a big difference. Getting there early allowed me to learn the system, not just the defense but how things worked. We had Reggie (Bush), LenDale White, Matt Leinert, Dominique Byrd. We had guys, across the board, who were really good players. It was kinda cool seeing them and just being around them really helped me.”
USC Defensive Coordinator Rocky Seto remembers recruiting Kevin during his prep career.
“I was attending Redondo’ CIF playoff game against Paramount game and he ran for over 200 yards. I knew we had to have him,” Seto said. “I think his graduating early was very advantageous for him. Before he got hurt his freshman year, he was starting on our nickel team, so he was already playing with experienced players around him. He had a maturity level that was beyond his years and he knew how to prepare. A lot of credit goes to his brothers and his upbringing.”
Although he loved to carry the ball, Kevin’s role at USC moved him into the safety position. At 6-foot-1, 220 pounds, he lacked the size to play linebacker at the Division I level, but his instinct and nose for the ball made him a perfect candidate for the defensive backfield.
“He’s an awesome kid,” USC Head Football Coach Pete Carroll said. “He’s a great competitor and serious worker. He was a leader from about the first month he was on the campus. He still is impacting players in our program now by the way he studied and took a serious approach to the game.”
Kevin was enjoying an impressive freshman season when he fractured his left knee and tore ligaments after making a game-changing interception against Arizona State in the Trojan’s fifth game. The injury sidelined him for the remainder of the season.
Starting in all 13 games as a sophomore, Kevin had a strong season but needed arthroscopic surgery on his left knee before the 2007 campaign. During his junior year, he started all 13 games and was named to the All- Pac-10 first team.
Despite having his third knee surgery during his senior season at USC, Kevin was again selected to the All-Pac-10 first team. He graduated with a degree in Social Science and Economics.
Draft anxiety
With three knee surgeries on his chart, Kevin knew his stock in the NFL draft had dropped, but it failed to diminish his dream of becoming a professional football player.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that the injuries affected my draft,” Ellison said. “Having three knee surgeries in four years and, rightfully so, teams should be concerned about it. Also, when I ran at the combine I was hurt. I knew I was better than that (my time).”
USC produced a plethora of draft choices in this year’s draft and Kevin wanted more than anything to be among the group. The first three rounds held the last Saturday in April had come and gone. Sunday morning arrived without Kevin receiving the phone call he so desperately wanted. Judy couldn’t tell who was more anxious, she or her son.
“That would be a close race,” Judy said. “It was hard on both of us.”
Kevin agreed. “I was at my mom’s house and it was horrible. I hated it. I’m happy where I went and glad that I’m here (San Diego), but the day was not fun at all. I just wanted to get out on the field and show a team what I can do. I was confident I would get drafted by some team until the rounds started going by. When it got to the sixth round, I had my doubts, honestly. I don’t remember who called me but I saw a San Diego area code and they had the next pick so I said ‘Thank God.’”
Charles, meanwhile, took it all in stride. After all, his other son Keith had also been a sixth round pick. “The draft is just part of the system. I was excited for all the USC players.”
Kevin couldn’t wait to get on the field to show the organization that they got a steal with its sixth round selection. He was confident that his experience at USC had prepared him well for the next level. Kevin said, without hesitation, that the toughest receiver he’s ever had to cover was former Trojan teammate Steve Smith, the NFL’s leading receiver this year.
“You can see what he’s doing now, but I saw him do that all the time at USC,” Ellison said. “The thing I respect about Steve, and that’s why he’s so good now, is when he gets on the field he works. When he gets to practice, he’s a perfectionist.”
Carroll, a former NFL head coach, has a reputation for running a pro-style program that grooms players for the next level.
“Now that I’ve been here in San Diego, I really see it,” Ellison said. “The competition at USC is great. Rocky Seto is a big part of why I’m here now. He taught me a lot and really helped grow as a person and a player. He taught be how to study the game and see things. He’s an excellent coach and I have a lot of respect for him.”
Carroll has seen dozens of his former players and is not surprised at Ellison’s quick start in the NFL.
“He is such an accomplished player and he’s such a serious competitor that I’m sure he surprised them (the Chargers) when he got there,” Carroll said. “I said to the coaches that he’s going to be at least a five- or six-year veteran the day he walks in.”
Like the rules that determine penalties, the NFL changes from year to year. Ellison said he encountered no rookie hazing and wasn’t even required to sing “Fight On” in front of his new teammates. “I did have to sing once, though,” Ellison said. “I sang some R&B. The Temptations. You can’t go wrong with that.”
Although he’s adjusting to a life where he doesn’t have to juggle football and college courses, the self-motivating Ellison retains his penchant for studying.
“I’m an independent, a low-key guy,” Ellison said. “I don’t really talk too much. I watch the veterans like Phillip Rivers and especially Darren Sproles, who has to be the hardest worker in our program. That’s the guy I watch. I’m not going to talk to him too much but I watch what he does. It’s the extra stuff he does — how late he is here, how much time he spends in the weight room — that makes him successful.”
Kevin also heeds the advice of seasoned veteran Keith, whom he says he speaks to almost every other day.
“I help him with a lot of little things like how long the season is, trying to keep your body in shape, trying to stay healthy, things like that,” Keith said. “Just the business part of it, too. It’s a lot of little things I know that I’ve been through that I try to pass on to him. Sometimes he plays teams that I’ve played already or that I’ve played in the past so I try to give him a little advice, a little bit of tips about their offense and about certain players that he’ll go up against. That’s it. We just try to pass information along so he can do the best that he can out there.”
Kevin said a normal week with the Chargers begins on Monday, lifting and running from 7-10 a.m. followed by meetings and watching film of the previous game, then off the remainder of the day.
Tuesdays are an off day. Wednesdays and Thursdays begin at 7 a.m. with necessary ice, Jacuzzi, injury treatments. Meetings are held from 8-11 a.m. followed by a walk through of the game plan. After lunch, a 45-minute meeting is held, followed by practice and then more meetings. Players are required to lift one of the two days.
Fridays consist of meetings, practice and a walk through from 8 a.m. to noon. The team travels later in the day for road games.
Most college and pro teams group roommates by position when they travel and Ellison shares a hotel room with safety C.J. Spillman, an un-drafted rookie from Marshall. Last year he roomed with USC All-American Taylor Mays.
Giving Back
The strong family ties and upbringing of the Ellison boys are conveyed in their effort to give back to the community. Although new to the San Diego area, Kevin has already participated in a shoe drive for under-privileged kids.
As part of the Trojan family, Kevin returns to USC, sitting in on film sessions, helping current players learn to read sophisticated offenses.
An off-season football camp run by Chris, Keith and Kevin is in the works and the three have mentored Redondo High quarterback Chris Mares the last two-and-a-half years. Kevin considers the jump from high school to Division I college football greater than going from college to the pros.
“Chris works hard and it shows on the field,” Kevin said. “Being around three guys with so much football experience, Chris is in a good position to soak up everything he can and not just about football. I was in the same situation by being around Chris and Keith and the players around them and it helped me to be where I’m at. Chris gets to see a starting linebacker from the Buffalo Bills every day working out, hanging out with him and that’s pretty cool.”
Mares has made the most of his situation, leading the Sea Hawks into the playoffs after making a run for the Bay League championship.
“I feel like part of the Ellison family,” Mares said. “They’ve taken my under their wings and have not only shown me techniques of the game, but have taught me to be humble and to have a strong work ethic. They are the hardest working people I’ve ever known.”
Utilizing his Friday off during the Charger’s bye week, Kevin returned to the Redondo High campus to visit former teachers, coaches and counselors including one of his favorites – Shannon Rodriguez. The former Sea Hawk took time to give autographs to students and members of the school staff.
“I was making a delivery to the high school and I looked up and on the wall by the secretary’s desk was a bulletin board dedicated to Kevin, complete with an autographed photo,” Judy said, chuckling. “When I told the woman I was Kevin’s mother, she got up and said “Can I hug you?”
Like his brothers, Kevin has not let success go to his head. He is constantly looking for ways to improve
“Getting to the NFL has been my greatest accomplish so far,” Ellison said. “That’s a hard thing to do. But, that’s not even close to my goal of what I want to do. I want to be the best safety. I want to be the best player I can be. I’ll do whatever it takes to get there. I’m no content with just being here. I’m going to work as hard as I can to get there.”
For those who know Kevin Ellison, it wouldn’t surprise them a bit to see him at the top.
“Of all the guys I’ve had the privilege of coaching, he’s probably the one who did the most to maximizing his potential,” Seto said. “What an awesome guy. I consider him a close friend and totally trust him. He’s an extremely hard working individual who really excels in studying. He has a level of awareness that most players don’t have. I’m sure that why he’s starting for the Chargers right now.”