Football
- Title:
- Director, Football Operations
- Phone:
- 205-348-3600
Ellis Ponder begins his first year as Alabama's Director of Football Operations and his third year with the program. He was elevated to the director's role in February of 2017 after spending the 2015 and 2016 seasons as the Crimson Tide's associate director of football operations.
His primary role with the Crimson Tide is to oversee the day-to-day organizational and operational aspects of the Alabama football program.
During his two years as associate director of football operations, Ponder assisted with all team travel, logistics and the day-to-day operations of the football program. Â
Ponder, a native of Fairhope, Ala., spent the previous four years as an event director for the Bruno Event Team in Birmingham, Ala. He helped manage a wide array of sporting events during his time with the Bruno Event Team, including the Regions Tradition, which is a major on the PGA Champions Tour, the PGA Tour's BMW Championship.
During his time with the Bruno Event Team he also helped organize and run the SEC Baseball Tournament, the SEC Women's Golf Championship, the SEC and NCAA Gymnastics Championships, the NCAA College Cup, CrossFit Games, the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama, the Magic City Classic and a wide range of Alabama High School Athletic Association events across the state.
During his time in school at the Capstone, Ponder also served as a student assistant in the Crimson Tide football equipment room from 2006 through the spring of 2011. His last four years in the role he was assigned to offensive line coach Joe Pendry, assisting at daily practices while also working the 2006 and 2007 Independence Bowls, the 2009 Sugar Bowl, 2010 BCS National Championship Game at the Rose Bowl and the 2011 Capital One Bowl.
Ponder holds two degrees from The University of Alabama, finishing his undergraduate degree in business administration in 2010 before completing his master's degree in marketing in 2011.
