Summer football camps are set to begin next month, and one player gearing up for a trip to Bloomington is Darnell Kelly, a 6-foot-2, 183-pound quarterback from Peachtree Ridge H.S. in Suwanee, Georgia. This will be his second visit to IU, where he plans to work out for the Indiana staff in June.
Kelly visited Indiana last month to watch the team during spring practice and was impressed with what he saw. He had a positive experience with the staff, liked the facilities, and enjoyed watching the team’s chemistry and teamwork on the field. He particularly liked the high-tempo offense, which heavily utilizes RPOs (Run-Pass Options), allowing quarterbacks to make multiple decisions at once. Kelly also noted the smart decision-making of the quarterbacks during practice, with not a single interception in sight.
The young quarterback was especially impressed with quarterbacks coach Tino Sunseri, praising his passion for the game and his coaching style. The IU staff expressed high interest in Kelly as a quarterback and mentioned that they want to see him throw live before extending a scholarship offer. Kelly plans to have the staff watch him throw during the spring and will also participate in their summer camp.
After his initial visit, Kelly considers Indiana at the top of his list due to their treatment of him and their understanding of his playing style. As a sophomore, Kelly had a solid season, completing 61 percent of his passes for 2,719 yards with 27 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, while also rushing for 389 yards and nine touchdowns on 45 carries.
Kelly currently holds offers from several schools and is receiving interest from numerous others, including Indiana, Purdue, Central Florida, Clemson, and others.
