The 2025 Gordon Wood Hall of Champions luncheon will be Friday, October 31 at the First Methodist Church Christian Life Center. Ticket prices are $40 each, with tables available for $360.

The Class of 2025 will consist of Joey Ellis, Rockne Allen (deceased), Chad Evans, Bryan Allen, and Draco Miller Jr.

Biographies for each inductee are as follows:

Joey Ellis

Joey Ellis, a member of Brownwood High School’s Class of 2004, was a three-year starter on the Varsity Football team. As a sophomore, he played outside linebacker alongside his older brother, John Ellis, and received 2nd Team All-District Defense honors. As a junior, he moved to left tackle and earned 2nd Team All-State Offensive Line honors. During his junior year campaign, the Lions made a deep playoff run before losing in the State Semifinals.

As a senior, he was a two-way starter at both left tackle and left defensive end. He anchored both the offensive and defensive lines for a team that went 11-0 before losing to the State Runner-Up in the Area Round of the playoffs. That same year, he had over 70 pancake blocks and led an offense that averaged 214.4 rushing yards per game, 130.4 passing yards per game and had over 32 rushing touchdowns. As a result, he was selected First-Team All-State Offensive Line, First-Team Academic All-State, and First Team All-District Defensive End. He was also selected to the San Angelo Standard Times’ All-West Texas 4A Team Offensive Line and its Super Team as well as the Fort Worth Star Telegram’s All Region team Offensive Line and its First Team Offensive Lineman Super Team. Additionally, he was selected as an offensive and defensive lineman for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes All-Star Game.

Ellis received an appointment to the United States Air Force Academy and played defensive end his freshmen year. In 2008, he graduated on the dean’s list and commissioned as an intelligence officer in the United States Air Force. For over 7 years, he led Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (“ISR”) missions for the MQ-1, MQ-9, RQ-4, and U-2 around the globe, integrated Close Air Support and ISR operations with allies, directed ISR operations in multiple theaters to include numerous high value individual and capture/kill missions. During his first combat deployment to Afghanistan, he led over 40 troops and was second-in-command for two multi-million-dollar ISR platforms providing support to NATO and US combat operations. He served as the Senior Intelligence Officer for the Combined Joint Special Operations Aviation Component during his second combat tour in Afghanistan, where he directed intelligence, information security and force protection for 15 airframes and 495 personnel. Ellis spent most of his career overseas in Europe, South Korea, the Middle East, and Southwest Asia.

Ellis honorably discharged from the military in 2015 at the rank of Captain and then enrolled at Texas Tech University School of Law. In Lubbock, he met the love of his life Hailey, and they were married in 2018. After graduating law school and passing the Texas Bar, he began working as a litigator in San Antonio. He is currently a partner at a law firm and his practice focuses on serious and catastrophic personal injury cases, trucking and transportation litigation, premises liability, products liability, and first and third-party insurance cases involving bodily injury and property losses. He and his wife currently live in the Texas Hill Country with their Cane Corso, Rufus.

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Rockne Allen

Rockne Shawn Allen was a guy’s guy all the way, named after Knute Rockne (Notre Dame player and Coach) and Shawn Davis (Pro bull rider). He loved anything outdoors, fishing, hunting, and any kind of sports. To know him was to put a smile on your face. He was serious when it came to things he loved — his family, friends and passions. He came from a line of athletes, his Dad, uncles, aunts, and cousins.

He was born January 19, 1967 and was loved until he moved into Heaven June 26, 1992 at the age of 25. He is still very missed.

Growing up he played little league baseball, football and track/field. His life consisted of his four sisters teasing him and watching him play his sports. It was quickly apparent that he would excel in sports, with his natural talent and ability to understand with the drive and aggressiveness that he would do well. His Dad got the privilege of coaching him growing up and as he got older one of his coaches made the comment that he was a coach’s player.

In junior high, he played basketball and football and won top awards in shot and discus. He was voted Most Favorite in his 8th grade class, playing 6-man football through his Freshman and Sophomore years on both sides of the ball. His team was State Runner-up. He also dominated at Basketball, shot and discus, and found time for hunting.

He moved to Brownwood his junior year and that changed his life. Coach Wood took him in as did his teammates (adopted brothers). Football and track were his focus. Some of the accomplishments were Co-Captain and 1st Team All-District Tight end both years. In 1985 the team went to the second round in the playoffs, while he personally bought home 1st, 2nd and 3rd place medals in shot and discus.

He was named a Blue Chipper, making him a top recruit for college, and made Coach Wood’s “All Team Roster” in his autobiography, “Coach of the Century.”

After visiting several campuses, he chose The University of Texas at Austin after a weekend visit with Coach Wood. As a junior and senior, he was a Co-Captain and letterman both years as a Defensive End, playing for Fred Akers and David McWilliams. The Athletic Director named him to the Sports Honor Roll 1988. He was a part of the Texas fraternity “The Cowboys,” a service organization known for spirit, leadership, and involvement in university events, and as Keepers of “Smokey the Cannon.”

Before Injuries ended his season, his outstanding games were against SMU, Penn State, and OU where in 1989 the Horns ended a four-year losing streak.

He finished his education as a graduate assistant at the University of Texas A&M of Kingsville with the family of Javelinas and Coach Richard Cundiff’s staff. After Rocky’s death, the Athletic Department created a scholarship in Rocky’s name.

All these accomplishments were in a short lifetime, but he is just remembered as son, brother, uncle, cousin, nephew, and friend.

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Chad Evans

Chad Evans, a graduate of the class of 2000, was a three-year letterman for the Brownwood Lions football team. He was a standout defensive line player and linebacker. He even played some fullback his senior year. Chad helped lead the Lions to the playoffs in each of his three seasons on varsity and earned a District Championship in 1998. He also was a member of the National Honor Society.

As a senior, he recorded 130 tackles (71 solo), 11 tackles for a loss, and six sacks. He also forced four fumbles, had an interception, and a blocked field goal. He earned First Team Class 4A All-State honors and First Team All-District 6-4A honors. Chad was also named All West Texas 4A team-defense, All Big Country-defense and Super team-linebacker, and the Star Telegram All-Area team-defense. He was selected to play in the first ever Big Country FCA All-Star game. His junior year he recorded 97 tackles and seven sacks to earn him All-District 6-4A honors. He was also named Academic All-District during his seasons with the Lions.

Chad went on to play football in college at Abilene Christian University. He then transferred to Angelo State University where he received a Bachelor in Science, and a minor in Range and Wildlife Management. He has worked for the Natural Resources Conservation Service for 20 years. He has been married to Jessie Evans for 18 years, they have two children Weston, 15, and Avery, 12. Chad loves cheering his kids on in all their sports and endeavors, even being a coach for many years. He is a deacon at First Baptist Church-Comanche. He and his family have called Comanche home for 16 years, but he will always be a Brownwood Lion at heart.

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Bryan Allen

Bryan Allen, a 1977 Brownwood High School graduate, was a two-year starter at

defensive end for the Lions and was the place-kicker for the Lions those two years. During his senior year, Allen was a captain of the 1976 quarter-final team. He was selected All-District and All-Big Country that year at defensive end. In 1981, Allen was selected to Gordon Wood’s All-Time team as a defensive end.

Besides football during his high school days, Allen also was a sprinter, jumper, and discus thrower on the track team. He also competed and/or participated in debate, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and Texas Boys State. He was inducted into the National Honor Society and graduated tenth in his class at BHS. Prior to high school, he became an Eagle Boy Scout.

Allen attended Baylor University and played baseball there, competing in the 1977 College World Series in Omaha. Allen graduated from Baylor in 1981 with a bachelor’s degree in education. He later received his master’s degree in school administration from Abilene Christian University.

At Baylor, Allen met the love of his life, Kathy Smith. They married after his graduation and have been married for 43 years. They have two sons, Jacob and Brock; a wonderful daughter-in-love, Jessica, who is married to Jacob; and four amazing grandchildren, Berkley, Briar, Bennett, and Brenham. Jacob, Jessica, and Brock are BHS graduates, and Berkley, Briar, Bennett, and Brenham are students in Brownwood ISD. Being their B-Paw is Allen’s greatest achievement.

After graduating from Baylor, Allen began a coaching career, coaching football and track in many schools in the area. Coaching stints over the years included stops at Paris, Jacksonville, San Angelo, McMurry, Gorman, and Garland. Allen later went into school administration and spent time as a principal in Bartlett and Llano. The final 13 years of his career were back home as the principal at Brownwood Middle School. Although retired, he works part-time as an adjunct professor at Howard Payne University, giving clinical teachers the “blessing” of being appraised. He is a member of Coggin Avenue Baptist Church and is involved in many ministries in the community, seeking to make disciples who make disciples.

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Draco Miller Jr.

A 1999 graduate of Brownwood High School, Draco Miller was a multi-sport athlete, who was a key member of the Brownwood Lion football team as well as the Lion Powerlifting team. He was a two-year letterman in football in 1997 & 98 and a three-year letterman in Powerlifting, 1997-99. Draco Graduated from Brownwood High School in 1999.

Draco was one of the many unsung heroes for the Lions, he was part of the most dominating position on the field, the Offensive Line. A group that paved the way for standout Running Backs, Receivers and Quarterbacks. This group was the core of the offense, the heartbeat that made the Lions roar.

Being a key member of the offensive line, Draco helped set and break many offensive records and led the district and state in many statical categories. During his time as a varsity Lion, he would never miss a game in 25 starts for the Lions. With quick feet and agility, he had the ability to block defensive lineman and inside and outside linebackers, in the Lions offense.

In his junior year he was named to the All-District and All Big Country teams. His senior year, saw Draco selected to the All-District, All-State, All West Texas, All-Big Country, All Big Country Super Team, All-Region, and All-Fort Worth Star Telegram Teams. As a team in 1997 the Lions won Bi-District, Area and were quarter finalist. His senior year, the Lions won District 6-4A, Bi-District, and were Area finalist.

With his dominating line play, he would receive a preferred walk-on offer from Division I University of Nebraska and scholarship offers from Lone Star Conference schools: Angelo State, Abilene Christian, Tarleton State, and Eastern New Mexico. In February 1999, Draco signed a national letter of intent to play for the Eastern New Mexico University Greyhounds. He said Eastern felt like home, and reminded him of the coaches and program in Brownwood.

He played all four years at ENMU, starting his junior and senior seasons. The team won the LSC South championship in 1999 and 2000, winning all four contests against archrival West Texas A&M, never losing the Wagon Wheel traveling trophy.

As a junior and senior, Draco was named an All-LSC offensive lineman as the Greyhounds led the conference in rushing and points scored. His overall college record was 35-7, his junior and senior seasons.

He began his coaching career as a student assistant coach after his last game.

Draco graduated with a bachelor’s degree in education in 2004. After conversations with his head coach and offensive coordinator, Draco would decide to get his master’s degree and become a Graduate Assistant football coach. In 2006 he graduated with his master’s degree in Sports Administration.

Draco spent 10 years coaching collegiately, coaching specialists, receivers, running backs, and the offensive line. He was named Run Game Coordinator and interim offensive coordinator. He coached 25 All-Conference athletics and one Academic All-American.

A natural recruiter, he had the ability to relate to players, speak to families, and sell his program. Draco would go on to sign over 40 Texas athletes to national letters of intent, several coming from his Brownwood.

In 2012 Draco left coaching for administration leadership positions, working in several departments. He was the youngest Director of Campus life, creating LEAD You and teaching leadership and professional development skills. He was named the Assistant Athletic Director for fan engagement and facilities. And won Recruiter of the year, Staff Member of the Year from Theta Zeta Kappa Sigma Fraternity, National Advisor of the year from St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, and National Campus Activity Magizine.

After 20 years in New Mexico, Draco and his family moved back to Texas, landing in Katy in 2018. For the next year he would be on the traveling circuit speaking, motivating and leading students, athletes and organizations to success.

In 2019, they moved back to Brownwood to work with his father as COO of the family business, Draco’s Janitorial & Auto Detailing. Draco is owner and operator, and following in his father’s footsteps, in 2023, he was elected as Ward 4 City Council member. Draco continues public speaking, is involved in philanthropic work, is president of Revitalizing Our Community and a member of several non-profits and executive boards. He supports youth sports, local school districts, and Howard Payne University.

Draco is married Deedy Miller. They have three children, Daija, Dailyn, and Draco III. He is the son of Sonja Miller and the late Honorable Draco Miller.