For David Ellis, the 2020 season has been a valuable one in terms of lessons in patience and redemption.
The sophomore learned the first lesson the hard way, missing the first three games of the season as he looked to get over a lower leg injury that hampered him.
“It’s a little frustrating dealing with an injury, not something a player wants to go through. But, I had a great support system and it made it a lot easier for me. I was taking mental reps, watching a lot of film and working plays. The transition back to the field was not all that difficult,” said Ellis, who is starting to work his way into the offensive load more.
Ellis arrived in Bloomington prior to the 2019 season with high expectations after playing at Chippewa Valley High School in Michigan. While there, he was a three-year starter and helped lead Chippewa Valley to its first state title and an unblemished 14-0 campaign as a senior. In the state title game, he returned the opening kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown, capping a season in which he caught 39 passes for 636 yards and accounted for 1,700 all-purpose yards. He also was a standout on the defensive side of the football, recording 45 tackles and five pass breakups as a defensive back.
When his freshman season began, Ellis was ready to hit the ground running, literally.
As a kickoff returned, Ellis returned 28 kicks for 579 yards and ranked third nationally among true freshmen. He also caught 16 passes for 173 yards and rushed nine times for 53 yards.
His promise was something that Tom Allen looked forward to, as the fourth-year coach constantly talked about Ellis and how exciting and versatile he could be for the Hoosiers.
But then, a leg injury set in, limiting Ellis, who finally got into the line-up at Michigan State. Against the Spartans, Ellis caught two receptions for eight yards.
