Monday, May 10, 2021
by Presbyterian Athletics Communications

CLINTON, S.C. – After coaching Pulaski Academy to nine State Championships and compiling over 200 wins in 18 years, Kevin Kelley will take over as head coach of the Presbyterian College football team it was announced Friday afternoon at a press conference at Bailey Memorial Stadium in Clinton, S.C. Kelley becomes the 16th head coach in PC football's 108-year history and third since the school's move to NCAA Division I in 2007.

"I am so honored and excited about becoming head coach at PC," said Kelley. "The reputation that this school has is something I want to be a part of.  I want to join this team in their pursuit of wins on the field, while representing their name, and the school's name in all areas."

Kelley comes to PC after spending the last 18 seasons as head coach of Pulaski Academy in Little Rock, Ark., and as offensive coordinator for the Bruins six years prior to being named to the top spot.

As head coach at Pulaski, Kelley took a team with only two trips to the semifinals in school history, and not beyond, to one with 18 quarterfinal, 15 semifinal, and 12 championship appearances. The team has taken home nine state championships, the last one this past December, its second in a row, to cap a perfect 13-0 season.

Under his tutelage, Kelley's players and teams have broken 15 national high school football records, with the Bruins compiling a 216-29-1 mark in 18 seasons. In 2015 Kelley was featured on ESPN after his team snapped Dallas Highland Park's winning streak of 84 games, the longest in the nation at the time.

"Coach Kelley's application immediately caught my attention because of his incredible success at winning football games, his notoriety and his national following," said Director of Athletics Rob Acunto. "Once I had the opportunity to speak with him, I quickly realized he was more than just an exceptional coach. He is a person of tremendous character, possesses strong moral values, and builds lifelong relationships that transcend the sport of football. We feel fortunate to have Kevin become a part of the PC family and lead our football program to new heights."

The 2016 USA Today National Football Coach of the Year is also a motivational speaker, traveling across the country speaking at several billion-dollar companies, including adidas, Ticketmaster, Halliburton, and Team SI. He has also served twice as a panelist at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference and was named Tribecca Film Festival Disruptive Innovator of the Year in 2014. 

"When we set out to find our next football coach, we knew it would not be an easy task because, quite frankly, we want it all," said PC President Matt vandenBerg. "We want the best.  We looked for someone with impeccable character, an innovator who is not afraid to think differently, a leader whose teams are fun to watch, and a mentor who is unflinchingly committed to the safety, health, and success of our student athletes.  We believe we have found all of that - and more - in Coach Kevin Kelley. Presbyterian College is an institution on the rise.  We are building a championship culture here, both in the classroom and on the field.  We're excited to have found the ideal person to lead our football program."

Kelley approaches the game of football in a different way, as documented by many media outlets such as ESPN, HBO Real Sports, and Fox Business News, along with having a unique ability on the offensive side of the ball.
NFL Head Coach Bill Belichick is one of those coaches that has reached out to the new PC head coach and has called Kelley 'probably the top high school coach in the country.'

His philosophy and tactics have been featured in articles in several publications such as the New York Times and Sports Illustrated, as well as in the book "Sportscasting."

Kelley graduated from Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Ark., in 1992, and is married to Dana, they have a son Zack (24), who played football at Ouachita Baptist, and a daughter, Kara (17).