Penn State football’s Keaton Ellis is ready to compete for a starting spot in talented CB room
Penn State football has plenty of restrictions in place as its roster returns to campus this week in preparation for the season. Face covers must be worn and social distancing guidelines are in place when the players are in football buildings.
Even the team’s locker room is off limits with a makeshift version taking its place in Holuba Hall.
Keaton Ellis, a former State College high school standout, is one of those players returning. The sophomore cornerback isn’t letting those restrictions get in the way of his excitement to play again.
“When I first heard the news I was really excited because this is the first step in trying to get back to normal,” Ellis said in a video conference with the media Wednesday afternoon. “I believe we can get through this stuff successfully. I’m not worried, I’m excited. Everybody’s excited because we want to play football. At the end of the day that’s what it’s all about, playing the sport we love. We’re going to have to go through some different things in order to do that.”
Ellis has plenty to be excited about heading into his second year on campus. The sophomore played in 13 games in his first season as a Nittany Lion and started the team’s regular season finale against Rutgers. He’s primed for a bigger role with the departure of cornerback John Reid, who was drafted in the fourth round of April’s 2020 NFL draft.
Penn State cornerbacks coach Terry Smith raved about Ellis when he spoke to the media in the spring.
“(He) just continue(s) to get better and better,” Smith said. “We see (him) as (a) major contributor.”
The Penn State defensive assistant was impressed with the work Ellis put in during his first year on campus on the field and in the weight room, and pegged him as a player who will compete for the vacancy left by Reid.
Now it’s up to Ellis to take advantage of that opportunity. He and fellow classmate Marquis Wilson are two of the top contenders for the open starting spot.
The camaraderie that comes with being classmates has made the competition more fun for Ellis, but he acknowledged it can create some tension when they’re fighting for the same spot.
“It’s sometimes hard, because that’s the guy who you’re trying to steal his job,” Ellis said. “Everybody knows it. We don’t hide that. Coach (Smith) is very open. He says what’s what, so we all understand that and I think it makes us all work harder.”
Ellis and Wilson were joined at cornerback in the 2019 class by Joey Porter Jr. and Daequan Hardy. The entire group is pushing for added playing time, with Hardy getting mentioned by Smith and top cornerback, and senior leader Tariq Castro-Fields as a player who has stood out since the season ended.
The group of four are all competing for playing time in the secondary and Ellis believes their youth has heightened the level of competition, but hasn’t changed their friendship.
“We’re working to get those starting spots,” he said. “Even though we were younger we still competed with each other. We were all able to get on the field and contribute. I think that’s what’s really special about us. If one of us isn’t doing as well, we pick him up. ... We’ve just been building camaraderie because we’re always together. ... It’s just a competition. It’s fun. I love it.”
Ellis is ready to fight for the vacant position and knows his teammates will be, too.
The sophomore cornerback believes the entire group of corners is ready to show what it can do and how it can help the defense in 2020.
“We have a very talented group right now, across the board,” he said. “It’s going to be a battle. ... No spot is given, even Tariq’s spot is not given. We’re all working very hard and pushing each other. If we’re all getting better then we’re better as a team and better as a unit. ... We all work very hard and push each other.”
Ellis was able to prove his worth in those battles as a freshman to earn the playing time he received. He beat out several of his classmates, and even a few upperclassmen, to earn appearances in every game last season.
Now it’s about taking that next step. It’s about getting even better to prove his emergence as a freshman was legitimate and not happenstance. Ellis said he doesn’t necessarily see himself as being ahead of schedule, but the playing time he earned has helped put himself in a position to take another step forward this season.
“I’ve definitely improved a lot,” he said. “Playing early forces you to mature faster. ... I have more confidence. Experience is key, especially at this level, just having experience and getting more comfortable each and every snap, each and every play and each and every day. I definitely feel like I learned a lot and definitely matured more and was definitely a better player from it.”
This story was originally published June 11, 2020 at 8:00 AM.
