A change of scenery for a former 'Michigan Man.'
The first-ever game as a collegiate head coach for Kevin Kelley.
The result? An assault on the record books.
Ex-Michigan quarterback Ren Hefley threw for 10 touchdowns, and Presbyterian rang up 84 points to make Kelley and the Blue Hose an 84-43 winner against NAIA program St. Andrews – and also to make Kelley a winner in his first game as a collegiate head coach.
The longtime Arkansas high school coach and friend of New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick, Kelley has long garnered national attention for his unorthodox approach.
For at least one Saturday, Kelley showed the Blue Hose could make that approach – long on being aggressive, short on punts and tepid play – work at the collegiate level.
Presbyterian amassed 56 points in the first half and had 70 through three quarters. The Blue Hose closed with 814 yards' offense, and Hefley's 10 scoring passes – most-ever for an Football Championship Subdivision team – were part of an overall 12 scoring tosses that also rewrote record books.
For modest context, consider that Presbyterian didn't score its 84th point in the spring 2021 season until its fourth game amidst a 4-3 season.
The Blue Hose threw 61 passes in the debut of the Kelley era, and did not throw an interception.
FINAL: Hefley with 10 passing touchdowns and the Blue Hose dominate for the 84-43 victory. #GoBlueHose #PCGoForIt pic.twitter.com/jognSmxXOA
— PC Football (@BlueHoseFB) September 4, 2021
It's possible the brand-new records don't last very long. Presbyterian next week hosts the University of Fort Lauderdale next weekend. The Eagles are a brand-new program deriving from a commuter school with just a few hundred students and competing, for now, in the National Christian College Athletic Association.
Presbyterian's first game against an FCS foe is Sept. 18 at Campbell.