Kevin Kelly (placekicker)

Kevin Patrick Kelly (born August 1, 1987) is a former American football placekicker. He played college football at Penn State and is the all-time leading scorer in Big Ten football history.[1][2]

Not to be confused with Kevin Kelly (coach) or Kevin Kelley (American football).
Kevin Kelly
Personal information
Born: (1987-08-01) August 1, 1987
Bristol, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Height:5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Weight:164 lb (74 kg)
Career information
High school:Langhorne (PA) Neshaminy
College:Penn State
Position:Placekicker
Undrafted:2009
Career history
Career highlights and awards
  • All-Big Ten (2008)

College career

Kevin Kelly was lightly recruited coming out of Neshaminy High School. He accepted a scholarship offer from Penn State over the Syracuse Orange and Delaware Blue Hens.[3] Kelly claimed the starting placekicker position during pre-season training and became the first Penn State true freshman since Craig Fayak to start the season opener in their game against the South Florida Bulls. Kelly would go on to break Fayak's freshman scoring record. In the final game of the season, Kelly kicked the game-winning 29-yard field goal in the 2006 Orange Bowl against the Florida State Seminoles. He finished his freshman year with 16 field goals made on 23 attempts.[1]

Kevin Kelly's second season at Penn State ended with him earning a place on the Academic All-Big Ten team. He made 22 of 34 field goals and was perfect on 30 extra point attempts. He kicked two career-long field goals of 49 yards, as well as two field goals against the Tennessee Volunteers in the 2007 Outback Bowl.[1]

Kelly became Penn State's all-time leading scorer on November 10, 2007 against the Temple Owls at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. He scored his first career touchdown against Michigan State on a fake field goal, taking a direct snap from the center and running into the end zone.[4]

Kelly began the 2008 season on the Lou Groza Award watchlist.[5] His 17-point performance (four field goals and five PATs) in Penn State's 46–17 win versus Michigan earned him Big Ten Specialist of the Week honors[2] and pushed his career scoring total to 376 points, making him the Big Ten's all-time kick scoring leader. He broke the previous mark of 367 points held by Minnesota's Dan Nystrom and Iowa's Nate Kaeding.[2]

At season's end, he was named a consensus first team All-Big Ten selection[6] and recipient of a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Award for the 2008–09 academic year.[7]

Professional career

Kelly joined the Harrisburg Stampede of the American Indoor Football Association in 2010.[8] After teaching physical education for 2 years, Kelly took a sales position at the Philadelphia-based meeting and event center, The Hub.

References
  1. "23 Kevin Kelly". Pennsylvania State University. Archived from the original on 2008-12-23. Retrieved 2008-09-09.
  2. "Kelly earns Big Ten Specialist of the Week accolades". The Pennsylvania State University. 2008-10-20. Archived from the original on 2008-10-23. Retrieved 2008-10-21.
  3. "Kevin Kelly". Rivals.com. Archived from the original on 2018-04-02. Retrieved 2008-09-09.
  4. "Spartans Rally in Fourth Quarter to Edge Nittany Lions". Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics. 2007-11-17. Retrieved 2008-09-09.
  5. "2008 Lou Groza Award Preseason Watch List". Palm Beach County Sports Institute. Archived from the original on September 19, 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-20.
  6. "2008 All-Big Ten Conference Football Team: As selected by Conference Coaches" (PDF). GoPSU.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2008-11-25.
  7. "More than 60 Nittany Lions among first Big Ten Distinguished Scholars". The Pennsylvania State University. 2009-07-20. Archived from the original on 2009-10-03.
  8. James Phillips (February 26, 2010). "Semipro football squad co-owners hope to improve Harrisburg's offensive output for season 2". www.pennlive.com. PA Media Group. Retrieved December 23, 2013.
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