BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - After spending the first four years of his collegiate career at Wake Forest, it didn't take long for Justice Ellison to find a new home after entering the transfer portal in late November.
The Ashburn, Virginia native appeared in 43 games and made 20 starts throughout his four seasons with the Demon Deacons, Winston-Salem is the only place Elliison has known throughout his college years.
However, less than two weeks after hitting the portal, Ellison announced his commitment to Curt Cignetti and Indiana.
"When I hit the portal, it was a no brainer for me," Ellison said back in the spring. "Cignetti, I saw how passionate he was. I was like 'man, this guy is passionate' and that's what I want to be a part of. That was it for me."
The passion in which Cignetti oozes with was just part of the reason that Indiana was the best match for Ellison's final season of college football.
Prior to committing to Wake Forest, Ellison was a star at The Flint Hill School in Oakton, Virginia.
There, Indiana's offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan would come and watch a younger Ellison dominate at upwards of five positions on both sides of the ball for the Huskies.
Shanahan and Cignetti even offered Ellison a scholarship to play wide receiver at James Madison coming out of high school.
The connection those two shared and built over the years was another reason that Indiana was a "no brainer" for Ellison.
"It almost felt like family," Ellison said of the staff at Indiana. "I wasn't going anywhere new, I already knew these guys from before. They believed in me (in high school)."
After spending spring practice with the Hoosiers and preparing for the upcoming 2024 campaign, Ellison was reminded of why Indiana was such an easy choice for him after he entered the portal.
From the moment the Hoosiers' new coaching regime took over, there's been a tangible shift in attitude and moxie around the Indiana football program.
"Everyday I think about being resilient, detailed and dominant," Ellison said. "(The coaching staff) has instilled that over and over and over again. I feel like that breeds success."
"If you're slacking, they're going to let you know," Ellison continued. "If you're not doing what you're supposed to be doing, they're going to let you know. If you are doing it right, they're going to let you know as well. It's a great balance, the coaches are really trying to breed success."
Around the Hoosiers' locker room, amongst the players, there's a newfound level of accountability.
Ellison mentioned that every guy on the team, new and old faces alike, are holding each other accountable both on the field and off it.
That's a trait, Ellison says, that has been passed down from the coaching staff from the moment the 5-foot-9 running back stepped on campus in Bloomington.
One thing is for sure ahead of the 2024 season, this is not the same Indiana team of years past under Cignetti.
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