Munich's mix of "youthful energy" and "a bit of old school"

Kendral Ellison, 37 years old, is the youngest head coach in the European League of Football and therefore shares a special connection with his players. "I can really relate to these guys and understand what it is that they're going through", he said in an interview with europeanleague.football. 

The head coach of the Munich Ravens played football himself until 2019 and has been coaching youth teams since 2013, starting with the Hamburg Huskies. He describes himself as a players’ coach. "Bringing that youthful energy, but also mixing in a little bit of old school that I've learned from some of my old coaches, we're gonna have fun. But there's a strict way in how we're going to do things and we're gonna do things the right way I think", Ellison said. "Everybody buys into that, but just having an open door policy, always an ear to listen to these guys, understanding their life situations. I do think it helps me."

Clear-eyed analysis

Head coach Ellison had mixed feelings after the recent win against division rival Raiders Tirol. "We won – that was the good thing about it, but there were a lot of things we need to work on", he said. He was particularly critical of the slow start. As so often this season, the Ravens turned the game around after falling behind in the first quarter.

Watch the Munich Ravens at Raiders Tirol highlights here!

Building a culture of mental toughness

This season, the Munich Ravens have repeatedly shown their ability to fight back late in games, score when it matters most, and secure crucial wins. Ellison doesn’t have a clear explanation for his team’s mental toughness: "I wouldn't say there's an explanation. I think that's the culture that we've set out to build these last two years." 

The team’s strong comeback ability is rooted in what they call a "4th quarter program", developed during the offseason. "We're a team that's going to play all four quarters, and we're going to find ways to win, be it with the run, be it with the pass, be it offense, be it defense. We've been able to show that we can win in many different ways", Ellison said. "But I think it ultimately boils down to the camaraderie that the group has, the brotherhood that we always speak about. They'll run through a wall for each other." Ellison speaks with pride about how his players never give up when they’re behind and always believe in themselves.

Close to securing the division title

With just one loss so far this season - against Stuttgart Surge in Week 4 - and having won all of their divisional matchups, the Munich Ravens could secure the South Division title and could lock in a playoff spot with a victory against the Wroclaw Panthers this weekend. Ellison: "It'll mean a lot just because this is one of the goals we set out for, to win the division, to get a home playoff game, but that's not the only goal." For Ellison, reaching the playoffs is just the foundation for the bigger goals he and his team have set together.

Throughout the game, Ellison remains in close contact with his players. © Roland Johannes

Preparing for a tough challenge

Head coach Ellison has great respect for his upcoming opponent, the Wroclaw Panthers, and their dual-threat quarterback DJ Irons: "DJ's a big physical ballplayer, plays with a lot of attitude and swagger, which I love to see. He's probably gonna be one of the toughest ones because he's very athletic, can run with the ball, can pass, has a cannon for an arm."

Ellison, who played as a defensive end during his active career and also spent several years as a defensive coordinator, brings plenty of experience when it comes to reading quarterbacks and exposing their weaknesses. "If we can make him one dimensional, then we'll find ourselves with a good opportunity to win the ballgame." In general, the focus for the Ravens remains on continued improvement and team growth. "If we're executing, then we're going to find ourselves in a great position", said Ellison. "I think it's more about us. If we do the small things right, then we give ourselves a great chance." 

The road to the playoffs

The Munich Ravens’ remaining regular season games are scheduled as follows: Wroclaw Panthers (home), Madrid Bravos (home), Wroclaw Panthers (away). Kickoff for the first matchup against the Panthers is set for Sunday at 13:00 CET at Sportpark Unterhaching, where Ellison’s players will once again look to prove what they’re capable of.

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