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Paolo UggettiESPN
Presbyterian head football coach Kevin Kelley, famous for his unique approach that includes never punting and often opting for onside kicks, announced he’s leaving the school in a statement on Twitter Saturday.
“I have decided to leave Presbyterian College to pursue other football interests,” Kelley said. “I am proud that we were #1 in the country in passing and #3 in the country in total offense at a school without scholarships.”
Kelley was hired by Presbyterian in May of this year and only spent one season coaching the program, which went 2-9 this season.
Thank you! pic.twitter.com/MNQusZuqV2
— Kevin Kelley (@coachkelley1) December 4, 2021
In Kelley’s first game as a coach, Presbyterian quarterback Ren Hefley set an FCS record with 10 TD passes in an 84-43 blowout of St. Andrews University. Kelley won his second game, too — 68-3 over University of Fort Lauderdale. However, the team proceeded to lose the next nine games of the season.
Before moving to the FCS, Kelley was the head coach at Pulaski Academy in Little Rock, Arkansas. There, he won nine state titles with his offensive strategy, which brought him nationwide attention and made him an endearing figure in the analytics community. New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick once called him “probably the top high school coach in the country.”
In a school statement, Presbyterian athletic director Rob Acunto thanked Kelley and said the school would be conducting a search for its next head coach.
“Although disappointed that he is leaving PC, we respect his decision to step down and wish him nothing but the best moving forward,” Acunto said.
It’s unclear where Kelley is headed next.