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Mike Kelly (born February 11, 1958) is an American gridiron football coach and former player, scout, and executive. He served as the head football coach at Valdosta State University in Valdosta, Georgia from 1997 to 1999 and Widener University in Chester, Pennsylvania from 2014 to 2018. In 2009, Kelly was the head coach and general manager for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He has worked as an assistant coach at the high school football level, for several college football teams, and for professional teams in the CFL, XFL, and the National Football League (NFL). Kelly played college football as a quarterback at Bluffton College—now Bluffton University—in the late 1970s.

Playing career and education

Kelly graduated from Muncie Northside High School in Muncie, Indiana in 1976, where as a senior he set a school record for passes attempted and completed in a single season. In 1996, Kelly was inducted into the Delaware County, Indiana Athletic Hall of Fame. Kelly's father was a high school football coach in Waterbury, Connecticut.

Kelly played quarterback for Bluffton College—now known as Bluffton University—in Bluffton, Ohio from 1976 to 1979 and earned his bachelor's degree in health, physical education and recreation. When he graduated, Kelly ranked third in career completions (95), fourth in career attempts (242) and fifth in career passing yardage (1,028). He was just the sixth player in BC history to pass for over 1,000 yards. In 2002, Kelly was inducted into the Bluffton College Hall of Fame.

Kelly earned a master's degree in education at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania in 1983.

Coaching career

Kelly was the offensive play-caller with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers between 1992 and 1996, as part of the teams that captured three regular season division titles and appeared in the Grey Cup twice. Kelly's offence set 29 club records during his tenure in Winnipeg, including Matt Dunigan's record 713 yards passing in a game.

Kelly was the head coach at Valdosta State University from 1997 to 1999. In his three seasons there, Kelly coached 23 players to all-conference honours and had two players earn All-American status and four more recruited players later achieving All-American status. Kelly's Valdosta State teams set 13 school records during his tenure. Kelly was fired nine games into the 1999 season and replaced by assistant Mark Nelson, who was appointed interim head coach.

In 2000, Kelly added the XFL to his coaching resume, where he worked as the offensive coordinator for the Orlando Rage. The Rage went a league best 8–2 during that season, winning the Eastern Division. Kelly's offence led the league in red zone scoring percentage, with quarterback Jeff Brohm named First-Team All-XFL.

Kelly spent five years in the National Football League (NFL) working as an advanced pro scout for the Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles where he also was an offensive assistant/quality control. During his time with the Eagles, while working alongside head coach Andy Reid, the club won two NFC East championships, while Kelly also coached in the 2003 Pro Bowl.

In 2008 Kelly was the receivers coach for the Edmonton Eskimos. Quarterback Ricky Ray had a personal best 5,600 yards passing while slot receivers Kamau Peterson caught over 100 passes and was named Most Outstanding Canadian Player and Kelly Campbell led the CFL averaging 23.7 yards per reception.

Kelly served as the head coach of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2009. Kelly also coordinated the offense for half of the season, in which the team went 7–11 missing a home playoff berth by a single game. On December 17, 2009, Kelly was arrested in Bridgeport, Pennsylvania and charged with assault and harassment following a domestic dispute at his home. Kelly was fired from his post with Winnipeg later that day. Ken Hildahl, chairman of the Blue Bombers, indicated that Kelly's dismissal was due to the performance of the team, not the incident earlier that day. The charges were dropped after Kelly took anger management counseling.

In his first season with Widener, Kelly led the Pride to its record-setting 20th Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) championship and appearance in quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III Football Championship. His record 12 consecutive wins broke a school record that had stood since 1912 for wins by a first-year coach. For his efforts he was named the MAC Coach of the Year and the ECAC South Co-Coach of the Year. In 2017, Kelly was named the East Coast Football Officials Association (ECFOA) Division III Coach of the Year. He was fired after the 2018 season.

In 2019, Kelly joined Next College Student Athlete, a for-profit organization that connects middle and high school student-athletes with college coaches. In 2024, he was selected as the head coach of the United States national football team competing in the International Federation of American Football's U20 World Junior Championships held in Edmonton.

Teaching career

Kelly is a former professor of sports management at Drexel University.

Head coaching record

College

CFL

Notes

1. ^ Kelly was fired after the first nine games of the 1999 season. Mark Nelson served as interim head coach for the final two games of the season. Valdosta State finished 4–7 overall and 3–6 in Gulf South Conference play, tying for sixth place.

References

1. ^ "Kelly Settling In As New Widener Football Head Coach". CBS Local Philadelphia. March 11, 2014. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
2. "Mike Kelly '80". Bluffton University Athletic Hall of Fame. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
3. ^ Friesen, Paul (July 29, 2019). "Out of coaching, Mike Kelly looks back fondly at time with Bombers". Winnipeg Sun. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
4. "Valdosta State fired head coach". The Courier-Journal. Louisville, Kentucky. November 2, 1999. p. D7. Retrieved December 13, 2019 – via Newspapers.com .
5. Owen, Judy (January 3, 2013). "Former Blue Bombers head coach Mike Kelly hoping to return to CFL". The Globe and Mail. The Globe and Mail. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
6. "Bombers coach charged with assault". The Province. Vancouver, British Columbia. December 18, 2009. p. A63. Retrieved December 13, 2019 – via Newspapers.com .
7. Lawless, Gary; Santin, Aldo; James, Peter (December 18, 2009). "Bombers fire Kelly amid charges". Calgary Herald. Calgary, Alberta. p. 66. Retrieved December 13, 2019 – via Newspapers.com .
8. Hicks, Brandon (December 17, 2009). "Bombers coach Kelly charged with assault". CBC Sports. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
9. Naylor, Davdd (December 17, 2009). "Bombers coach Kelly arrested, fired". The Globe and Mail. Toronto, Ontario. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
10. Penton, Kirk (February 28, 2014). "Mike Kelly back coaching football". Winnipeg Sun. Winnipeg, Manitoba. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
11. ^ "Mike Kelly". Widener Pride. Archived from the original on October 7, 2018. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
12. "Kelly of Named ECFOA Division III Coach of the Year". March 26, 2018.
13. "USA Football Announced Coaches To Lead 2024 U20 Tackle National Team At IFAF World Championship". USA Football. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
14. "USA Names Head Coach For IFAF U20 World Championships". International Federation of American Football. Retrieved December 11, 2024.

• 1958 births
• Living people
• American football quarterbacks
• Bluffton Beavers football players
• Capital Comets football coaches
• Edinboro Fighting Scots football coaches
• Marietta Pioneers football coaches
• Ohio Wesleyan Battling Bishops football coaches
• Philadelphia Eagles coaches
• Philadelphia Eagles scouts
• San Francisco State Gators football coaches
• Valdosta State Blazers football coaches
• Washington Redskins executives
• Widener Pride football coaches
• Winnipeg Blue Bombers coaches
• Winnipeg Blue Bombers general managers
• Orlando Rage coaches
• High school football coaches in Ohio
• Edinboro University of Pennsylvania alumni
• Sportspeople from Muncie, Indiana
• Players of American football from Waterbury, Connecticut
• Players of American football from Indiana
• Coaches of American football from Connecticut
• Coaches of American football from Indiana