Casey Kelly isn't just deciding between colleges this week, he's deciding between sports.
The 6-foot-2, 190-pound quarterback from Sarasota (Fla.) High School expects to make the all-important college decision by Friday.
Kelly is down to two schools: Tennessee and Arizona State. If he chooses UT, he'll be a football player as soon as he steps on campus, adhering to the football scholarship the Vols have offered him.
If he chooses Arizona State, he'll focus on baseball and probably won't even play football during his freshman season. The Sun Devils have offered him a baseball scholarship, not a full ride in football.
"It's two different situations," Kelly said. "Arizona State would be baseball my first year, get settled in and not worry about football in the fall. On the other side (at UT), I can start football right away."
Kelly spent the weekend exploring the football side during his official visit to Knoxville.
"It was a lot of fun," Kelly said.
Kelly had been to Knoxville before. This visit, he said he spent more time with UT's coaching staff than before.
"I just got more comfortable with the coaches," he said.
That could be key in his decision. After building a relationship with former offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe, Kelly has been plenty complimentary of his meetings with Cutcliffe's replacement - Dave Clawson. Cutcliffe took the head coaching job at Duke in December.
Even if Kelly chooses UT, that doesn't mean he's dead set on football. Kelly, who is considered a strong prospect at shortstop, also figures to be picked in June's amateur baseball draft. If he's picked high enough, Kelly has admitted that a large contract could be tough to turn down.
If Kelly chooses Arizona State, it might behoove the Vols to keep calling even after football's national signing day on Feb. 6.
Kelly wouldn't actually sign with the Sun Devils until the NCAA baseball signing day in March. That means he could still become a Vol even if he announced he was heading to Arizona State, as long as the Vols still had a scholarship available.
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Comments » 16
Volnation writes:
WOW,we have the Prediction master in eVOLution. Tell me eVOLution which stock should I buy/sell this week??? Who's going to the president in the next term? I'll call you later eVOLution, your sister just informed me of something.
pms151 writes:
A starter as a freshman with his credentials? Who's spinning this phooey to him? No wonder we are scrapping the bottom of the barrel right now.
waterskier3#226480 writes:
average teams get average talent and that's where tn is at... lose your two best recruiters and its hard to close with new coaches and the coaches on the defensive side of the ball..
its going to be along two year until fulmer is fired.
rootin4volz writes:
Hey pms151...I don't see anything about him being a starter as a freshman in this article, nor anything about anybody spinning any phooey to him. Stop assuming/reading what you THINK you're reading, and learn to spell "scraping".
HitnRunRick writes:
waterskier3, ur an IDIOT!
andy112382#209793 writes:
waterskier3.....is the world after you or something? Cheer up, your outlook is so bleek.
If average is winning the SEC east over UGA and UF and taking LSU down to the wire in the title game (the national champs mind you) and throwing the game away (literally) rather than them flat out beating you and holding them to one offensive td........I guess i must admit you set that bar of success pretty darn high!
Ironcity writes:
I would think he will choose UT. Most baseball scholarships are split amoung players. My guess is he would not get a full ride scholarship as a basebal player. I dob't think there is one player on UT's baseball team that has a full scholarship. Its part of title nine. If thats the case then its a no brainer he will come to UT. The question is does he play pro ball or not.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
The options are probably puzzling for this young man.
bhjohnso#207063 writes:
I think it meant he would start playing football immediately...not that he would be a starter immediately.
bhjohnso#207063 writes:
would he play baseball here too? don't see any mention of that. it's been done of course.
ATLVOL1 writes:
Ironcity...exactly right ,I think there are only about 6 total scholarships for the whole bball team so they split it up mostly. He will redshirt on the fball team and never really have a chance for the first 3 years on campus.... he should come to UT and bulk up with the fball team and use that to better his bball skills and help light up Lindsey Nelson Stadium, if he turns out to be better than Coleman or Stephens then so be it. Maybe Helton should give him a buzz.
volunteer_cowboy writes:
waterskier is taking up for his brother nick, they are both stevens and kelly would give nick competion.........
jimr07 writes:
waterskier-- so who is your choice to replace Fulmer?
ATLVOL1 writes:
Espn has Kelly ranked really high...ahead of almost all other Commits we already have, including Walls.
A 6'4" 4.6 40 shortstop is a heck of a prospect in baseball b/t/w.
ATLVOL1 writes:
Heres a baseball bio on him:
Area Player of the Year and Athlete of the Year.In fact, he comes from a family of professional players: his father Pat Kelly and uncle Mike Kelly played for the Toronto Blue Jays, his cousin Dustin Kelly plays for the Boston Red Sox, and his brother Chris Kelly plays for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
BigOrangeJeff writes:
jimr07, don't waste your time asking for constructive criticism from these fools. Prior to the bowl game, I challenged all of them on numerous occassions to give me their three choices each for HC, OC, and DC (since Cut was leaving and both Fulmer and Chief "need to be fired). Aside from the idiotic suggestions like Pete Carroll, Jon Gruden, Spurrier, etc., no one - not one of them - would list their candidates.
Ah, the haters - so loathesome of their own pathetic lives that they have to try to ruin everyone else's in order to feel good about themselves.
BOJ
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