Former running back Justice Ellison to join the Indiana football staff in support role

Following his final college football season and a standout year with the Hoosiers, running back Justice Ellison has retired from football and will be joining the Indiana football coaching staff.

Ellison played one year with Indiana and ran for a career-best 848 yards with a 5.3 yard per carry average. He also had 10 touchdowns. All three were career highs.

Saturday was the first day of spring practice for Indiana football and head coach Curt Cignetti talked about the process to bring Ellison back in a support role this season.

“I think I got a text from him a month, month and a half or so (ago) that he was going to be in town, would like to talk. He decided that he was done with football, and he wanted to coach,” Cignetti said. “He was one of our leaders last year, and Scott (Dolson) created the opportunity within our organization for him to help us coach as a graduate assistant or a quality control coach.

“So he will help Coach Miller with the running backs, and he’ll do a good job.”

He was part of a dynamic running back group last year for Indiana that had a total of 37 ruching touchdowns, tying the most in an Indiana football single season.

Ellison played four years at Wake Forest before transferring to Indiana and he totaled 1,901 yards on 427 carries and had 15 touchdowns.

Ellison will now be part of a group of coaches that will be working with Maryland transfer running back Roman Hemby — someone who has 2,347 yards and 22 touchdowns over four seasons in the Big Ten.

SEE ALSO: 5 storylines to follow for Indiana football as spring practice gets underway

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