Moving up

Central Michigan hires Kelly from D-II champ Grand Valley St.

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. (AP) -- Central Michigan is bringing in one of the most accomplished Division II football coaches in recent memory.

The Chippewas announced Tuesday that Brian Kelly has been hired as the new coach, replacing Mike DeBord.

Kelly, who led Grand Valley State to the past two Division II championships, takes over a program that finished 3-9 this season. DeBord's four-year record at the school was 12-34.

The 42-year-old Kelly was to be introduced as Central's 24th coach Friday morning.

"Brian is an experienced head coach, a proven winner, and we're excited that he accepted the opportunity to be our next football coach," said athletics director Herb Deromedi.

Kelly has been the head coach at Grand Valley the past 13 seasons, leading the Lakers to national titles in 2002 and 2003 after finishing second in 2001. His last three teams went 41-2 and featured a 32-game winning streak.

"I'm excited about the opportunity of waking up a sleeping giant," Kelly said. "Central Michigan University has great tradition and facilities. I'm looking forward to the challenge of bringing CMU football back to its rightful place at the top of the Mid-American Conference."

The Lakers were 118-35-2 in Kelly's tenure for a winning percentage of .767 -- third best among active Division II head coaches. He has never had a losing season as a head coach. His 1999 team went 5-5.

Kelly led the Lakers to five Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference titles and six NCAA Division II playoff appearances. His team finished lower than third in the conference just once.

During one eight-year span, his teams finished first three times, second four times and third once.

Kelly was named the 2002 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coach of the Year.

His team was 14-0 in that championship campaign while his 2003 team posted a 14-1 mark.

Kelly coached two Harlon Hill finalists, an award given annually to the top player in Division II. Curt Anes won the award in 2002 and was second in 2001 while Jeff Fox was third in 1998. Both were quarterbacks.

Kelly's players have earned 77 All-America awards with four of his players competing in the NFL and three more in the Canadian Football League.

A native of Chelsea, Mass., Kelly was a four-year letterwinner at Assumption (Mass.) College as a linebacker.

After graduating in 1983 with a bachelor's degree in political science, he served as a linebacker coach, defensive coordinator and softball coach from 1983-86.

Kelly joined the Grand Valley staff in 1987 as a graduate assistant and defensive back coach. He became the defensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator in 1989 and took over as head coach in 1991.