Kevin Kelly (American football)

Infobox NCAA Athlete
color = LightSteelBlue
fontcolor = Black
name = Kevin Kelly


caption =
college = Penn State
conference = Big Ten
sport = Football
jersey = 23
position = Placekicker
class = Senior
major =
minor =
nickname =
career_start = 2005
height_ft = 5
height_in = 7
weight_lb = 164
nationality = USA
birth_date = birth date and age|1987|8|1
birth_place = Bristol, Pennsylvania
death_date =
death_place =
highschool = Neshaminy High School, Langhorne, Pennsylvania
former_school(s)=
career_highlights = All time leading scorer at Penn State
awards =
honors =
records =
championships =
championship_list =
bowl_games =
bowl_list =
tournaments =
tournament_list =

Kevin Kelly is the placekicker for coach Joe Paterno's 2008 Penn State Nittany Lions football team. He is a senior from Bristol, Pennsylvania. A kinesiology major, he is the all-time leading scorer for the Nittany Lions.cite web | url = http://gopsusports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/kelly_kevin00.html | title = 23 Kevin Kelly | accessdate = 2008-09-09 | publisher = Pennsylvania State University]

College career

Kevin Kelly was lightly recruited coming out of Neshaminy High School. He accepted a scholarship offer from Penn State over the Syracuse Orange and Delaware Blue Hens.cite web | url = http://bwi.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?pr_key=28021 | title = Kevin Kelly | accessdate = 2008-09-09 | publisher = Rivals.com] Kelly claimed the starting placekicker position during pre-season training. He became the first true freshman since Craig Fayak to be the starting kicker in the season opening game against the South Florida Bulls. Kelly would go on to break Fayak's team freshmen scoring record. He also kicked the game winning 29 yard field goal in the 2006 Orange Bowl against the Florida State Seminoles. Kelly finished the season with 16 field goals in 23 attempts.

Kevin Kelly's second season at Penn State ended with him earning a place on the Academic All-Big Ten team. He was 22 of 34 in field goals and was perfect on 30 Point After Touchdown attempts. He kicked two career-long field goals of 49 yards, one against the Illinois Fighting Illini that led the Nittany Lions to an important come from behind victory. He kicked two field goals against the Tennessee Volunteers in the 2007 Outback Bowl.

Kelly became Penn State's all-time leading scorer on November 10, 2007 against the Temple Owls in Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia near his hometown of Langhorne. He reached this mark before the end of his junior season and continued to build on it against Michigan State and in the 2007 Alamo Bowl agains the Texas A&M Aggies. In fact, Kelly scored his first career touchdown against Michigan State on a fake field goal, taking a direct snap from the center and running into the end zone. [cite web|title=Spartans Rally in Fourth Quarter to Edge Nittany Lions|url=http://gopsusports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/111707aaa.html|publisher=Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics|date=2007-11-17|accessdate=2008-09-09]

Kelly will surely extend his lead on the all time scoring record at Penn State during the 2008 season. He is 2 for 3 in field goals so far with the lone miss being a 60 yard attempt at the end of the first half in the Oregon State Beavers. He is 13 for 13 in his extra point attempts.

References