Jake Ellsworth served as a defensive assistant at Illinois in 2019, his third season helping the Illini defense full time and his seventh year overall with the Fighting Illini. He served as a defensive analyst for the 2018 season. Ellsworth was a student manager from 2013-14 and a defensive student assistant from 2015-16 before becoming a defensive assistant in 2017.

Ellsworth graduated from the University of Illinois with a bachelor’s degree in recreation, sport and tourism in 2017, while minoring in leadership studies.