Presbyterian coach Kevin Kelley steps down after one season

Presbyterian College head coach Kevin Kelley speaks with quarterback Ren Hefley (12) during their game against Morehead State at Bailey Memorial Stadium Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021.

Jm Prescollege 101221 007

Presbyterian College head coach Kevin Kelley speaks with quarterback Ren Hefley (12) during their game against Morehead State at Bailey Memorial Stadium Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021. Jm Prescollege 101221 007

Kevin Kelley is leaving his job as head football coach at Presbyterian after one season.

In a news release Saturday, athletic director Rob Acunto said Kelley was leaving for personal reasons.

“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.

Kelley, 52, made the jump from high school to FCS-level football last May when Presbyterian hired him from Pulaski Academy in Little Rock, Ark., where he won nine state titles and was named USA Today High School Coach of the Year in 2016.

In Kelley’s sole season, the Blue Hose were 2-9 (0-8 Pioneer Football League).

In his own statement, Kelly said he was leaving to “pursue other football interests” and that he was proud of the team’s achievements: No. 1 in the nation in passing yards (4,562) and No. 3 in total offense (5,693 yards).

In the high school ranks, Kelley’s teams had a reputation for never punting and he took that philosophy with him. On the season, the Blue Hose punted 13 times and attempted 84 fourth-down conversions, converting 29 of them.

The Clinton, S.C., school said it would begin a nationwide search for Kelley’s successor.

–Field Level Media

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