CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Matt Ellerbrock was named the Illinois football program's assistant linebackers coach, head coach Bret Bielema announced. Ellerbrock joins the Fighting Illini with a decade of college coaching experience.
"We are excited to add Matt to our coaching staff," said Bielema. "Matt comes highly recommend from around the coaching profession. His experiences over 10 years in college football, including working alongside Archie McDaniel for two years, will benefit both our coaches and student-athletes."
"I am beyond excited to join the Illini family," said Ellerbrock. "My family and I are excited to get to Champaign and meet the special people of this community. I look forward to working everyday with an incredible group of coaches. I am fired up to work with a very talented linebacker room and continue to help them grow both as players and as men. Huge thanks to Coach Bielema for this amazing opportunity."
In his career, Ellerbrock has coached in five bowl games including helping lead Houston to a victory in the 2022 Independence Bowl over Louisiana. He spent four seasons over two stints at Houston, including working as a defensive analyst under current Illinois linebackers coach Archie McDaniel from 2022-23.
The 2022 Houston team reached as high as No. 24 in the AP poll in its final year in the American, before Ellerbrock helped the program in its transition to power-conference football in the Big XII in 2023. In 2024, Ellerbrock moved to IMG Academy, where he coached the team's linebackers.
Ellerbrock also worked at Houston from 2019-20 as a defensive graduate assistant focusing on linebackers and safeties, before spending the 2021 season as the linebackers coach at McNeese State. He coached McNeese's All-Southland Conference First Team honoree Kordell Williams, who registered 100 tackles and ranked fourth in the Southland with 9.1 tackles per game.
Prior to his first stint at Houston, Ellerbrock spent two seasons at Arkansas State from 2016-18 as the program's defensive graduate assistant working with linebackers and safeties. Arkansas State was one of the best in the country at defending the pass in 2017, ranking 11th in the nation in passing defense at 177.8 yards allowed per game. In his first season at Arkansas State, Ellerbrock helped the Red Wolves to an 8-5 overall record, a Sun Belt Conference championship with a 7-1 league record and a 31-13 victory over UCF in the 2016 Cure Bowl.
A four-year starter at Midwestern State, Ellerbrock got his start in coaching as a graduate assistant at his alma mater in 2013, then moved on to Stephen F. Austin as a graduate assistant from 2014-15.
As a player at Midwestern State, Ellerbrock was a two-time Honorable Mention All-Lone Star Conference performer and helped lead the program to three Lone Star Conference championships and postseason play every year. He started 44 of 46 career games and totaled 231 career tackles, 28.0 tackles for loss, and 7.0 sacks. Named a captain as a senior, Ellerbrock was honored as the Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in the LSC championship-clinching win at No. 12 West Texas A&M.
Ellerbrock earned his bachelor's degree in sport and fitness management from Midwestern State University in 2012. He earned his master's degree at Stephen F. Austin State University in secondary education in May 2016.
Ellerbrock and his wife, Samantha, have one daughter, Ariella.
"We are excited to add Matt to our coaching staff," said Bielema. "Matt comes highly recommend from around the coaching profession. His experiences over 10 years in college football, including working alongside Archie McDaniel for two years, will benefit both our coaches and student-athletes."
"I am beyond excited to join the Illini family," said Ellerbrock. "My family and I are excited to get to Champaign and meet the special people of this community. I look forward to working everyday with an incredible group of coaches. I am fired up to work with a very talented linebacker room and continue to help them grow both as players and as men. Huge thanks to Coach Bielema for this amazing opportunity."
In his career, Ellerbrock has coached in five bowl games including helping lead Houston to a victory in the 2022 Independence Bowl over Louisiana. He spent four seasons over two stints at Houston, including working as a defensive analyst under current Illinois linebackers coach Archie McDaniel from 2022-23.
The 2022 Houston team reached as high as No. 24 in the AP poll in its final year in the American, before Ellerbrock helped the program in its transition to power-conference football in the Big XII in 2023. In 2024, Ellerbrock moved to IMG Academy, where he coached the team's linebackers.
Ellerbrock also worked at Houston from 2019-20 as a defensive graduate assistant focusing on linebackers and safeties, before spending the 2021 season as the linebackers coach at McNeese State. He coached McNeese's All-Southland Conference First Team honoree Kordell Williams, who registered 100 tackles and ranked fourth in the Southland with 9.1 tackles per game.
Prior to his first stint at Houston, Ellerbrock spent two seasons at Arkansas State from 2016-18 as the program's defensive graduate assistant working with linebackers and safeties. Arkansas State was one of the best in the country at defending the pass in 2017, ranking 11th in the nation in passing defense at 177.8 yards allowed per game. In his first season at Arkansas State, Ellerbrock helped the Red Wolves to an 8-5 overall record, a Sun Belt Conference championship with a 7-1 league record and a 31-13 victory over UCF in the 2016 Cure Bowl.
A four-year starter at Midwestern State, Ellerbrock got his start in coaching as a graduate assistant at his alma mater in 2013, then moved on to Stephen F. Austin as a graduate assistant from 2014-15.
As a player at Midwestern State, Ellerbrock was a two-time Honorable Mention All-Lone Star Conference performer and helped lead the program to three Lone Star Conference championships and postseason play every year. He started 44 of 46 career games and totaled 231 career tackles, 28.0 tackles for loss, and 7.0 sacks. Named a captain as a senior, Ellerbrock was honored as the Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in the LSC championship-clinching win at No. 12 West Texas A&M.
Ellerbrock earned his bachelor's degree in sport and fitness management from Midwestern State University in 2012. He earned his master's degree at Stephen F. Austin State University in secondary education in May 2016.
Ellerbrock and his wife, Samantha, have one daughter, Ariella.
