Ole Miss Tabs Embattled JUCO QB Transfer Chad Kelly as Rebels’ Stater

Written by Ryan Wright

Twitter: @HogManInLA

Coaches across the SEC with quarterback battles waging in fall camp started naming starters for Week 1 of the 2015 college football season on Monday. In Oxford, the post-Bo Wallace era will begin with Chad Kelly in the pocket.

Kelly has picked up a reputation for getting into trouble, both on and off the field, after being dismissed from Clemson in the spring of 2014 after reportedly getting into a verbal argument with one of the Tigers’ coaches.

The 6’3”, 220 pound, quarterback showed off his abilities in the pocket with East Mississippi junior college leading the team to a NJCAA championship and 12-0 record while passing for 3,905 yards with 47 touchdowns. Ole Miss signed Kelly and then a couple of days later an incident in his home town of Buffalo, New York included allegations that he was going to shoot up a club called Encore on Pearl Street after a 3:15 a.m. fight with a bouncer. The 20-year-old was charged with seven counts that time but none were felony charges.

Kelly, the nephew of former Buffalo Bills great Jim Kelly, has stayed out of the negative spotlight since the December fracas. Since spring practices, Kelly has been in a battle with sophomores Ryan Buchanan and DeVante Kincade for the starting spot. Kincade is more of a dual-threat and Buchanan is a pocket passer like Kelly. Kelly has displayed a strong arm plus his game experience led to the starting nod.

Wallace helped guide Ole Miss to a 9-4 record in 2014 passing for 3,194 yards with 22 touchdowns against 14 picks before using up his NCAA eligibility.

Ole Miss opens their season on Sept. 5 at home against Tennessee-Martin.

Photo credit: al.com; Chad Kelly at an Ole Miss practice.