National Football Foundation

A three-year starting quarterback and a 2001 co-captain for Southern Mississippi, Jeff Kelly led the Golden Eagles to a 23-12 record, a Conference USA title and victories in the 1999 Liberty Bowl and 2000 GMAC Bowl. He threw touchdowns of 56 and 29 yards in the final minutes of the GMAC Bowl against TCU’s No. 1 ranked defense to seal a 28-21 win. Kelly’s three-touchdown performance against the Horned Frogs is tied for the school bowl record. The team leader in passing and total offense from 1999-2001, he ranks fourth in school history in career passing yards (7,095), career passing touchdowns (51) and career total offense (7,113). The first USM quarterback to throw for 2,000 yards in three separate seasons, Kelly also ranks second in school history in single-game passing yards (400) vs. Tulane in 2001, single-season pass efficiency (143.7), career games of 200+ passing yards (22) and career completion percentage (58.0).

A Second Team Academic All-American, Kelly compiled a 3.83 GPA in finance and was twice named the C-USA Scholar-Athlete of the Year. He was a member of the Dean’s List, President’s List, C-USA Honor Roll and Athletic Director’s Honor Roll.

Kelly was selected in the seventh round (232^nd overall) of the 2002 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks and played two seasons with the Seahawks. He is currently the head football coach at Saraland High School (Ala.). In 2014, Kelly was inducted into the Southern Miss Sports Hall of Fame.