Report: Indiana RB Justice Ellison retired from playing, will coach on Curt Cignetti staff

Indiana running back Justice Ellison is reportedly retiring from football, according to Zach Osterman of the Indy Star. Ellison spent one season with the Hoosiers after transferring into the program last offseason from Wake Forest.

Interestingly, Ellison isn’t stepping away from football. Osterman reports that Ellison told Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti that he would like to turn his attention toward coaching and has joined his staff as a quality control coach working with the running backs.

Ellison was the Hoosiers’ leading rusher during the 2024 season, taking 159 carries for 848 yards and 10 touchdowns in his lone season at IU. He arrived in Bloomington after spending the first four years of his career with the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.

With Ellison on the team, Indiana finished the season with an 11-2 record in what was a historic season for the Hoosiers. They ended their season with a 27-17 loss to Notre Dame in the first round of the College Football Playoff. The Fighting Irish would go on to be the national runners-up to Ohio State — the only other blemish on Indiana’s record this past season.

He finishes his playing career with 2,757 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns across five seasons of college football. Ellison was also active out of the backfield, hauling in 37 receptions for 253 yards and one additional touchdown.

Ellison was originally recruited as a wide receiver out of high school, but he quickly moved to running back once he arrived on campus for the Demon Deacons. In four seasons, he totaled 1901 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns, his best season coming when he racked up 707 rushing yards in 2022.

He played high school football at Flint Hill (Va.) School, where he was a three-star prospect. He was an underrated prospect as the No. 2,337 overall recruit in the 2020 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, which is a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Now, Ellison turns his attention toward beginning his coaching career with the Hoosiers. Indiana begins its 2025 campaign at home against Old Dominion on Aug. 30. The Hoosiers will not begin conference action in the Big Ten until Week 4 when they host the Illinois Fighting Illini.

First, Indiana will host its annual spring game to conclude its spring training schedule. Kickoff for the preseason showcase is set for 8 p.m. ET on April 17.