Spring (more like summer) is in the air this and we are all enjoying the 80 degree weather. This that also means good news for football fans: spring practice has started! The Gamecocks took the field yesterday to begin preparing for the upcoming season. After what many would agree was quite a tumultuous 2015, many players are eager for a fresh start. Punter Sean Kelly is no exception. After joining the team in January 2015, Kelly had an impressive debut season. That being said, he knows there’s always room for improvement.
Age: 22
Year in School: Junior
Hometown: Oakland, FL
What is one fun fact about you?
“I enjoy the outdoors the most. Hunting, fishing, or being on the lake.”
What is your biggest pet-peeve?
“Unneeded Facebook posts.”
Current favorite song and Netflix show?
“Livin’ the Dream by Drake White, and the Walking Dead.”
What is your favorite part about playing football for South Carolina?
“Game day, from running out of the tunnel to hitting a punt and pinning the other team deep.”
What improvements has the team started implementing in spring practice this week?
“Being even more consistent than last year.”
Why did you choose your position?
“I had actually played quarterback during high school and kicked and punted a little, but I saw kicking and punting as my best opportunity to play at a higher level.”
What is one of your most memorable moments from last season?
“The fake punt against UNC and running for the first down.”
What are you most looking forward to about the upcoming season?
“I’m really looking forward to the first home game this upcoming season. Since it’s my last year I can’t wait to run out of that tunnel.”
Can you tell us your favorite Spurrier story?
“One day when we were at practice last year, Elliot Fry (the starting kicker) and I were on the sideline and Spurrier came rolling up in his golf cart and stopped. He started talking to us and said, ‘Did you know we are the only team in the NCAA with two kickers with three letters in their last names, Ard and Fry.’”
We’ll all surely miss Coach Spurrier’s off-beat and sometimes confusing humor this season. Good luck to Sean and the rest of the team with spring practice!