LITTLE ROCK — Fayetteville repeated. So did senior linebacker Brooks Ellis.
Ellis is the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season after helping the Bulldogs win the Class 7A state championship.
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Fayetteville became the first school in the state’s largest classification to repeat as state champion since Little Rock Central in 2003-2004.
“Brooks is as good a defensive player as we’ve had here,” said Bulldogs Coach Daryl Patton, who has won three state titles since becoming Fayetteville’s coach in 2003.
Ellis, 6-2, 220 pounds, overcame a dislocated kneecap early in the season to finish as Fayetteville’s leading tackler.
Ellis had 47 unassisted tackles, 73 assisted tackles, 11 other tackles for loss, 3 forced fumbles, 1 recovered fumble and 4 sacks.
Patton said Ellis was injured when a player was blocked into his leg during the fourth quarter of a 49-39 loss at Jefferson City, Mo., on Sept. 7.
Ellis was expected to miss 4-6 weeks, Patton said. Ellis missed two games.
“When he came back against Springdale, you could see he was a little bit timid in the first half,” Patton said. “But in the second half, it was like a light switch went on. He played great and it carried on all the way through the season. He played his best in big games.”
Mirroring his junior season, Ellis was big in the playoffs, Patton said.
Ellis had 2 sacks in a first-round victory over Conway, 7 unassisted tackles and a pass breakup in the semifinals against North Little Rock and 2 tackles for loss and a pass breakup in the state championship game against Bentonville.
“I think the best compliment I’ve heard about Brooks is when coaches turn on the film, they say he just jumps off the screen,” Patton said. “He’s physical, he can run and he’s smart.”
Ellis was the Democrat-Gazette Sophomore Defensive Player of the Year as a safety and emerged as a go-to receiver, at times, this fall at tight end.
“I think his first four catches were for touchdowns in the red zone,” Patton said. “It was hard to cover him 1-on-1.”
Ellis, who has orally committed to Arkansas, has a 4.0-plus grade-point average and scored 30 on the ACT, Patton said.
Sports, Pages 32 on 12/16/2012