Jon Gruden Introduces Coach Kelly Video // Mike Kelly Jacket Ceremony Video
Videos courtesy of On The Fly Images LLC
Any list of the best coaches in college football history has to include the University of Dayton’s Mike Kelly. And now it does.
Kelly was inducted into the National Football Foundation’s College Football Hall of Fame Saturday at the 2011 Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival in South Bend, Ind. The Enshrinement Show was co-hosted by former Flyer quarterback Jon Gruden.
“It’s been a wonderful weekend, not just for me but for my family and the University of Dayton,” Kelly said. “It’s still difficult to fathom this is happening and I have to admit it’s been overwhelming to think about at times, but we are taking it all in and enjoying the moments.
“Being with the coaches has been a lot of fun, and it’s been a treat to meet and get to know the players who are in this class. Having Jon Gruden be a part of the program made it even more special. But without a doubt the best part of this is how many Dayton people...players, colleagues and fans...came up and shared the experience. Especially the young men who played for us.”
Kelly is one of the winningest coaches in college football history, with a 27-year record (all at UD) of 246-54-1 and an .819 winning percentage. That is the fourth-best percentage among coaches with at least 25 years experience. Florida A&M's legendary Jake Gaither is No. 1 (.844), Nebraska's Tom Osborne is second (.836) and Michigan's Fielding Yost (.828) is third.
Dayton went to the national title game four times under Kelly's leadership, winning the 1989 national title. In addition to the 1989 NCAA Division III national title, Kelly's Flyers were also NCAA FCS Mid-Major national champions (by a national poll) in 2002 and 2007. He was the Pioneer Football League's Coach of the Year seven out of the first 15 years the league was in existence and a national coach of the year seven times. Forty-eight of UD's 50 Academic All-America selections have played for Kelly, and UD produced 84 first team All-Americans in the Kelly era.
The Ludlow Falls, Ohio native is UD's record holder in wins, having almost twice as many as College Football Hall of Famer (Class of 1990) Harry Baujan's 124. Kelly's 27 years as a head coach is also the longest tenure of any head coach in any sport at the University of Dayton.
The Enshrinement Festival honored the 2011 Divisional Hall of Fame Class along with the 2010 FBS Class.
Joining Kelly in the 2011 Divisional Hall of Fame Class were Dexter Coakley (Appalachian State), Mike Favor (North Dakota State), Charles Haley (James Madison), the late Mickey Kobrosky (Trinity-Conn.) and Bill Manlove (Coach, Widener, Delaware Valley and La Salle).
Members of the 2010 FBS Class were the late Dennis Byrd (North Carolina State), Ronnie Caveness (Arkansas), Ray Childress (Texas A&M), Randy Cross (UCLA), Sam Cunningham (Southern California), Mark Herrmann (Purdue), Clarkston Hines (Duke), Desmond Howard (Michigan), Dayton native Chet Moeller (Navy), Jerry Stovall (LSU), the late Pat Tillman (Arizona State), Alfred Williams (Colorado) and coaches Barry Alvarez (Wisconsin) and Gene Stallings (Texas A&M, Alabama).
Kelly will be honored with a “Campus Salute” by the National Football Foundation on October 1 when the Flyers host Butler at Welcome Stadium.
