Hard-working Chad Kelly can’t get enough of football

Whether reflecting on an important win or a heartbreaking loss, Ole Miss starting quarterback Chad Kelly always finds something in his offense that he feels can be improved. He eats, breathes, and sleeps the words he repeats constantly: “Just have to get better.”

Chad Kelly is determined his Rebels’ offense will improve. (Photo credit: Amanda Swain, The Rebel Walk)

Earlier this season, head coach Hugh Freeze told reporters that Kelly watches more game film than he does. When Kelly is not on the practice field or in the weight room, he invites some of his offensive teammates over to watch other teams play the sport he wakes up thinking about, no matter who’s playing.

“I’m not sure what he does outside of football, but I know if I’m at home, I’m watching (football) either on the iPad or pulling it up on the big screen,” Kelly’s said when asked about Freeze’s opportunities to watch game film. “I love football, any football I can watch. I’m just a football junkie.”

And Kelly’s love for football comes naturally, as he is the nephew of former Buffalo Bills quarterback and NFL Hall of Famer Jim Kelly.

Jim Kelly was in attendance, as was Archie Manning, Saturday afternoon to watch the former East Mississippi Community College gunslinger complete 24-of-33 passes for 384 yards and score four touchdowns (3 passing, 1 rushing) in the 14th-ranked Rebels’ (5-1, 2-1 SEC) 52-3 victory over New Mexico State. Kelly’s 384 yards were the most by an Ole Miss quarterback since Bo Wallace threw for 387 yards in last year’s season opener against Boise State.

Kelly was excited to know his uncle was there to watch him as he dissected the Aggies’ defense in painstakingly methodical fashion. Kelly was on a hot streak in the first quarter, completing his first 11 passes for 117 yards as he led the Rebels’ offense on three scoring drives and an early 17-3 lead.

“It felt great,” Kelly responded when asked about his uncle being part of the 60,154 inside Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. “It’s a blessing to have a great uncle you can look up to and see what the top looks like. That’s motivation to get to the top. Just having him and his family here, it was great to have all of them come.”

😊 #OLEMISS pic.twitter.com/nsTGJ6zwKL

— Jill Kelly (@jillmkelly12) October 10, 2015

Whether or not Kelly pays attention to his own stat sheets remains to be seen, but he has already made his mark in a Rebels uniform in a short period of time. He’s currently part of an Ole Miss team that has scored 50-plus points in three games for the first time in program history and has eclipsed 600 yards of total offense for the third time this season, the most such games in a season in school history.

The Rebels’ 665 yards of total offense against the Aggies (0-5, 0-1 Sun Belt) were the second-most in school history behind the 751 yards vs. Troy in 2013.

Kelly approaches each game like it will be his last and cherishes every moment on the field, because he wants to leave a legacy at the collegiate level where he is remembered not only for his conference-leading or school record-breaking stats, but for his hard work and dedication to the sport of football.

“You have to breathe football,” said Kelly, who’s in sole possession of third place in career 300-yard games behind Wallace (11) and Eli Manning (10). “You have to want it so bad that it disgusts you if you make a mistake, do something wrong, or turn the ball over. You have to really be passionate about football if you want to be the best.”

Feature image credit: Amanda Swain, The Rebel Walk