Kelly joined the Spartans in 2025. In 2024, Kelly was on the NCAA Division III Westminster College (Mo.) coaching staff, where he coached offensive line and tight ends. Kelly coached a 2nd Team All-Conference offensive lineman, Emerson Ruiz.and the offense posted their best year since 2019.
He spent the 2022 and 2023 seasons at the NCAA Division II University of Minnesota-Duluth. He coached tight ends and fullbacks. Kelly coached Zach Ojile, who earned Honorable Mention All-America status from the Don Hansen Football Committee. Ojile was also a Second Team CCA All-Super Region 4 selection. He also coached Second Team All-NSIC choice Sam Pitz. In 2023, Sam Pitz earned Honorable Mention All-America status from the Don Hansen Football Committee. He also was listed on the D2 Football Elite 100 List.
Before joining the staff in Duluth, he was a Graduate Assistant at NAIA’s University of Jamestown (N.D.) where he coached the running backs and tight ends.
Kelly played collegiately at NCAA Division III Lake Forest College (Ill.) where he started every game at guard in 2018 and 2019 and helped the Foresters to their fourth-highest scoring average in program history. The Antioch, Illinois native graduated from Lake Forest with a degree in Environmental Studies in 2020 and then earned his master’s in Business Leadership from Jamestown in 2022.
