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America is known as a country that offers second chances.
Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly needed more than just one second chance, but he made things right with Ole Miss and his coach Hugh Freeze.
Kelly spent his freshman year on the Clemson Tigers roster. In April of 2014, however, Clemson kicked him out of the program due to detrimental conduct. Days earlier, Kelly had gotten into a disagreement with coaches over whether to punt on fourth down.
He attended East Mississippi Community College the following fall where he led his team to the National Junior College Athletic Association title. That got the attention of Freeze at Ole Miss.
Days after Kelly committed to Ole Miss last December, he nearly blew his second chance with an incident in downtown Buffalo. The quarterback was arrested for allegedly punching a bouncer outside a restaurant/bar and faced charges including third-degree assault, second-degree harassment and second-degree menacing.
In January, Kelly pleaded guilty to a non-criminal charge of disorderly conduct. He reached a plea deal that required him to perform 50 hours of community service.
Freeze said the quarterback was remorseful days after his arrest.
“This (Ole Miss) is where he wants to be,” Freeze said last December. “He knows a mistake in being in the wrong place and I think is remorseful for that. But I got to deal with what is best for the team first, and then try to do what is best for the young man.”
Freeze ultimately decided it was best for the program to bring him on board. Although it was a risky move, Ole Miss reaped the benefits.
In the first two games of the season, Kelly threw for six touchdowns, ran for two more and had just one interception. That earned him the starting job for the Alabama game in Week 3. Against the Crimson Tide, Kelly threw for 362 yards and accounted for four TDs.
From that point on, the Rebels were off and running. There were some bumps along the way — three losses and a three-game stretch when Kelly had seven interceptions — but he finished the season on a spectacular note.
In the final three games, Kelly gained 1,149 yards and produced 13 touchdowns without committing a turnover. With 37 TDs in 2015, he broke Eli Manning’s single-season record.
Kelly could declare for the NFL Draft after the Sugar Bowl, but is expected back for another season.
Even though Ole Miss is losing a lot of talent in a quarterback-starved conference, Kelly should have the Rebels striving to take the next step and win the SEC West in 2016.
Dave covers SEC football for Saturday Down South.
