Living the dream: Georgia Southern’s Kelly and Strong

STATESBORO, Ga. — Over recent years, Houston County football fans have raved about the success of their favorite local gridiron athletes. The Houston County community has produced numerous collegiate football players as well, with several of those players going on to play within the National Football League.

For many athletes, playing professionally is among their biggest dreams. For others, the dreams become endless. When does an athlete know to hang it up? How long does it take for young athletes to decide that they no longer live their “biggest dream?” What causes athletes to pivot and create new fulfillments?

In this series of the “Living the dream” edition, you will read about familiar names. Why? A couple of Houston County natives are currently “living the dream.”

In the last edition, I broke down the stories of Coleman Willis and Jaden Woods from The University of Georgia. This week’s “living the dream” edition will showcase Caleb Kelly and Chandler Strong of Georgia Southern University.

Driving down Akins Boulevard, Crossing Eagle Creek, hearing the fans of Paulson Stadium or even seeing an abundance of Zaxby’s, makes you know that you are in Statesboro. As “Home of Eagle Country,” the dream is still alive for a couple of Houston County natives.

Caleb Kelly is a sixth year senior for the Eagles “Down in the Boro.”

Kelly has played for the Georgia Southern Eagles since 2017. Last fall, Kelly played a total of 793 offensive snaps. Also in 2021, he became the first Eagle on record to start at all five spots along the offensive line during a career.

Kelly is very durable, as he played all 66 offensive snaps against Arkansas, all 82 snaps against Louisiana and every snap against Arkansas State, Georgia State, Coastal Carolina, BYU and Appalachian State.

In 2020, Kelly played in all 13 games but started in only nine games. In 2019, Kelly played in 10 games but started in just four. In 2018, he played in only three games, therefore he redshirted due to NCAA rules. In 2017, he played in and started seven games. Kelly had made the President’s List, Dean’s List and been selected to the Sun Belt conference Academic Honor Roll while at Georgia Southern.

The 6’2”, 285-pound Warner Robins native was most recently awarded by the Pro Football Network as an All-Sun Belt Conference Honorable Mention. Kelly played his high school career for the Northside Eagles under coach Kevin Kinsler. Kelly was a first team all-state selection with class 6A. Also in high school, Kelly was ranked the number 127 offensive guard in the country by 247 sports. Caleb Kelly has already graduated with his bachelor’s degree in Sport Management.

One of the first early enrollees of the Helton era was Chandler Strong. Strong was one of eight athletes who enrolled at Georgia Southern in early January. Strong is a former two-sport athlete at Houston County High School and was also a first-team all-state and all-region selection, during his high school career. The 6’3”, 290-pound freshman has decided that exploratory will be his field of study, as he continues to embark on a promising career in Statesboro. He played under Coach Ryan Crawford as a Bear. Kelly and Strong both make up a pivotal force of the Georgia Southern offensive line room.

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