When Taylor Kelly's dream school came calling, the opportunity was too much to pass up.
Kelly, a dual-threat quarterback from Eagle High School in Boise, Idaho, recently gave his verbal commitment to play for ASU next season after originally committing to Nevada.
Feb. 3 is the first day recruits can sign a National Letter of Intent.
“I always wanted to go there since I was kid,” Kelly said. “They were recruiting me for a while and then stopped. When they came back into the picture, I wanted to take a visit and I really liked it.”
Kelly said he is excited about the energy he thinks new offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone will bring next season.
“I really like the offense he showed me a lot,” Kelly said. “It is similar to what we ran up here (during high school) so I know what he is talking about.”
Kelly replaces a quarterback the Sun Devils lost from the 2010 class when Pete Thomas of El Cajon, Calif., decided to de-commit from ASU and pledge his services to Colorado State.
During his senior season at Eagle, Kelly threw for about 2,500 yards and rushed for 1,000 as he led his team to state title. For his efforts, Kelly was named the Idaho Gatorade Player of the Year.
His coach at Eagle, Paul Peterson, believes the Sun Devils are getting a “multi-dimensional quarterback” who will be able to make plays in a number of ways once he gets onto the field.
“He's extremely athletic, and he definitely puts a lot of pressure on defenses, both with his arm and his feet” Peterson said. “He's a very calm, poised quarterback. When he hits the field in Tempe, people are going to be subjected to somebody who I think has a little bit of magic in him.”
Kelly said he has always been a big fan of Jake Plummer, the former star ASU quarterback who also hails from Idaho.
Peterson believes Kelly shares some of the same abilities Plummer did in terms of being able to avoid a pass rush.
“He can extend plays with his feet,” Peterson said. “And once he decides he has to make chicken salad out of chicken whatever, he does; he makes things happen.”
Kelly said he will graduate from Eagle in May and plans to arrive at ASU this summer to begin working out with the team.
“I'm excited to get started,” he said.
There is uncertainty heading into the spring practice as to who will start at quarterback for the Sun Devils.
Juniors Steven Threet, who sat out last season because of NCAA transfer rules after arriving from Michigan, and Samson Szakacsy will likely be the frontrunners for the position, though sophomore Brock Osweiler will also be in the running after earning some playing, including one start, as a true freshman last season.
The Sun Devils recently received a verbal commitment from highly ranked offensive tackle Brice Schwab, who had committed to USC before Pete Carroll left the Trojans to take the head-coaching job with the Seattle Seahawks.
Reach the reporter at nkosmide@asu.edu
