Listen to the Gridiron Icons: Arkansas' Greatest High School Coaches podcast featuring 'The Coach Who Never Punts' Kevin Kelley
Note: This is a previously recorded podcast episode.
From his childhood in small-town Southwest Arkansas to becoming nationally known for his unique approach on the gridiron, we dive into the mind of Kevin Kelley – one of the most unique in the game of football.
Kelley began his coaching career at a junior high school in the Dallas Metroplex as a scout and seventh-grade coach before taking the offensive coordinator job at Pulaski Academy in 1997 under Kirby Norwood. Kelley hit the ground running after being named head coach in 2003 and won the school's first state championship in his inaugural season. Kelley followed with eight more titles in 2008, 2011, 2014-17, 2019 and 2020, totaling 216 wins with the Bruins. He was named the USA Today National High School Football Coach of The Year in 2016 and inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2021.
The immense success and national exposure helped earn Kelley his first Division I FCS job at Presbyterian (S.C.) College, which is where this episode picks up as Kyle Sutherland sat down in June of 2021 with Kelley just weeks after he was hired there.
Kelley goes in-depth about his analytical approach to the game, including being tabbed "The Coach Who Never Punts," his nine state titles, his friendship with New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and much more.
LISTEN on Spotify.
– Kyle Sutherland | @k_sutherlandAR
