Kelly commits to Tennessee

Sarasota High School senior and Sailors' quarterback Casey Kelly

Tennessee picked up its 17th commitment of the 2008 football signing class when Casey Kelly offered his pledge at an afternoon press conference Wednesday.

The 6-foot-2, 190-pound quarterback from Sarasota (Fla.) High School chose UT over Arizona State.

“It was just the place that I felt most comfortable,” Kelly said.

Kelly will try two sports at UT: football and baseball.

“They’ve had people that have done it before,” Kelly said. “That made it a lot better.”

The most famous Vols athlete to do both sports is Todd Helton, the Colorado Rockies first baseman who had his No. 3 baseball jersey retired by UT on Wednesday night.

Kelly will have to see where he falls in June’s baseball draft before he’s completely committed to UT. Kelly said he’s heard he might be a late first- to early second-round draft pick. Kelly has long said he would lean toward baseball if he is presented a big enough contract.

“The money has to be right to be something to take me away from college,” said Kelly, whose brother plays in the minors and father coaches a minor league team. “It has to be something big.”

Kelly will worry about that later. Now, he’s glad to have the first of two huge decisions behind him.

“It feels like a big weight has been lifted off my shoulders,” Kelly said. “Now I can concentrate on baseball and high school.”

Kelly already has set his goals for UT.

“I definitely want to become the starting quarterback and the starting shortstop at the University of Tennessee,” Kelly said. “That’s what I’m going to work for and hopefully it happens.”

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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