Steve Ellis

Biography

A veteran secondary coach, Steve Ellis was named cornerbacks coach at Louisville for the 2023 season. He was named co-defensive coordinator in 2026. In his first two seasons at Louisville, Ellis has brought experience and intensity to the cornerback position that has help produce a pair of NFL draft selections. Quincy Riley , who intercepted five passes over the past two seasons, was a fourth-round selection of the New Orleans Saints and Jarvis Brownlee was drafted in the 2024 draft by the Tennessee Titans. Before coming to Louisville, Ellis helped East Carolina become one of the top ball-hawking units in the nation. Ellis’ group netted a combined total of 25 interceptions over a two-year span, representing ECU’s highest per-game clip (1.19) since the 2013 and 2014 campaigns when they averaged 1.23 interceptions per game. Leading ECU to a bowl game for the first time since 2014, the 2021 Pirates stood 14th nationally and second in the AAC with 15 interceptions. Under Ellis’ watchful eye, Ja’Quan McMillian captured the 2021 NCAA FBS Statistical Championship in passes defended (1.75), while standing fourth nationally in total interceptions, fifth in interceptions per game (0.42) and 22nd in fumbles recovered (0.67) to go along with his 56 tackles - which was second among all Pirate defenders. McMillian was a five-time 2021 Second-Team All-America selection (FWAA, Associated Press, The Sporting News, The Athletic and Phil Steele Magazine), a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award