The Allen High Eagles football program’s decision to add senior tight end Elijah Fisher to the defense is paying off.
Fisher had a smooth transition to defensive end to start his final season with one of the most well-known teams in the state. In a Week 2 showdown of North vs. South against Dickinson High, the 6-foot-3-inch, 260-pound Fisher recorded three quarterback sacks in Allen’s 38-24 non-district home win.
Defensive ends coach Bryan Kelley explained that Fisher joined his unit after several defensive ends graduated. Head coach Terry Gambill conducts an evaluation process of returning players at the end of each year, the coach said.
“We were looking at possibilities of kids we could move over that were on offense to fill some of those spots and he was one of them,” Kelley told Texas Scorecard. “We moved him over in the spring. He went through spring ball. He’s been playing [defensive end] since last spring.”
According to Kelley, Fisher didn’t “blink an eye” when asked to make the transition.
“We went to him and said, ‘Hey, Elijah, we’re going to look at you to play defensive end,’” Kelley said. “We felt that would help the Eagles be successful. He said, ‘Yes, sir’ and hasn’t missed a beat since.”
As a tight end, Fisher is a physical and explosive weapon with exceptional athleticism.
“He’s very athletic for being that big,” Kelley said. “That’s what makes him as good as he is. He’s a big guy, but he can move well.”
Those are not the only attributes that have helped Fisher excel in his new role.
“He’s a technician [who’s] fundamentally sound,” Kelley said. “He’s a smart kid. He’s everything you want in a player as a coach. He makes my job a lot easier.”
Fisher lettered with Allen for three years. Just four months after his first game as a member of the varsity, the Eagles won a state championship to cap an undefeated season.
Last year, he earned a first-team all-district selection. This season, his teammates have made him a team captain.
According to Fisher’s 247Sports profile, Illinois State University is the only school to offer him a scholarship.
“He’s a great kid,” Kelley said. “Everyone loves him. Everyone loves Fish. He puts a smile on his face … he shows up and grinds.”
