South Carolina is set to begin its 2025 football season on Aug. 31, facing Virginia Tech at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. As the start of the season approaches, attention has turned to one of the program’s most notable players, former quarterback Todd Ellis.
Ellis, who wore No. 9 for the Gamecocks, joined South Carolina as a highly regarded high school recruit and redshirted in 1985 before becoming a four-year starter. During his time leading the offense, Ellis threw for more than 3,000 yards as a freshman in 1986. Over 1,000 of those yards were completed to Sterling Sharpe, who was recently enshrined as a Pro Football Hall of Famer. The two players went on to become the only passing combination from South Carolina to both earn All-American honors in the same year (1987).
Ellis contributed to consecutive eight-win seasons for South Carolina in 1987 and 1988 — years when fewer teams participated in postseason bowl games. His college career ended with an injury-shortened senior year but not before he set several records, including finishing with a total of 9,953 passing yards. That mark still stands as the Gamecock record and at one point ranked among the top ten all-time college football passing totals.
Throughout his career with South Carolina, Ellis ranked second in team history for completions and fourth for touchdown passes. He became the only quarterback at the school with at least ten games surpassing three hundred passing yards and held numerous freshman records until some were overtaken by LaNorris Sellers following the 2024 season.
The Gamecocks’ success during this era was also supported by their defense and up-tempo offense led by Ellis. After graduation, Ellis briefly played professionally with both the Denver Broncos — who selected him in the 1990 NFL Draft — and Sacramento Surge in the World League of American Football.
Following his professional playing days, Ellis returned to Columbia where he earned a law degree from South Carolina and continues practicing law locally.
Since 2003, Ellis has served as “Voice of the Gamecocks,” providing play-by-play coverage alongside fellow former quarterback Tommy Suggs for every South Carolina football game broadcast on radio. He also appears on head coach Shane Beamer’s call-in show “Carolina Calls.” In recognition of his contributions on and off the field, Ellis was inducted into the University of South Carolina Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005.
Sterling Sharpe’s connection with Todd Ellis during their collegiate careers highlights Sharpe’s ongoing legacy within both university football history and professional recognition through enshrinement into football’s highest honor.
