Archie talks about having Chad Kelly at Manning Camp

OXFORD - The most famous quarterback in Ole Miss history says the development of the present one is the result of many people.

No single contributor has played a larger role than the quarterback himself, Chad Kelly.

Spring ball was behind, but the August quarterback competition was still ahead when Archie Manning had the chance to observe and visit with Kelly at the Manning Passing Academy last summer in Thibodaux, La.

Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze could see the potential in Kelly, but there were still questions, and the questions became more difficult after Kelly's arrest in his hometown last December. That incident left his Ole Miss future in jeopardy.

At camp Manning saw a player who understood he was under the microscope.

"With what he had gone through he was a little self-conscious. He wanted to make sure he did all the right things, which he did," Manning said. "I'm proud of Chad for the way he's handled everything bouncing back from a hiccup or two. He's done it right. He's become a better football player and a better person, a good leader. He's provided a lot of inspiration especially late in the year."

Last summer Kelly could throw as well as any of the 40 quarterbacks at the camp, Manning said.

In Kelly's last three games he's 64-for-98 passing (65.3 percent) for 884 yards with seven touchdowns and no interceptions.

He's become a much bigger factor in the run game with 265 yards and six touchdowns on 34 attempts, an average of 7.8 yards per carry.

Kelly has been named second-team All-SEC quarterback by league coaches, and his surge has helped Ole Miss reach the Sugar Bowl for the first time since the 1969 season when Manning was a sophomore.

"We made the decision for the last three games, 'OK, now it's time to put our quarterback runs in.' Early in the year we were not calling any of those runs, because you want to protect him, take care of him, get him through the year. With three to go we said, 'Let's do everything we can do,'" Freeze said.

Manning said Freeze, quarterbacks coach Dan Werner and many Ole Miss players had a hand in helping Kelly find the success he's had this season.

None of it would have been possible had Kelly made poor decisions off the field. He was at the end of his behavioral rope. That was the message delivered to Kelly by another former Ole Miss quarterback with whom Manning is very familiar.

"Eli and I sat down with him one day, and Eli laid it on the line with him. Eli had a little hiccup when he first went down to Ole Miss," Manning said. "I was really proud of Eli for what he had to say."

This story was originally published December 25, 2015 at 12:03 PM with the headline "Archie talks about having Chad Kelly at Manning Camp ."