Schools

Foothill Promotes Kelly Edwards to Head Football Coach

Following the untimely death of head football coach Doug Boyett, Foothill College reached into its coaching ranks and chose Kelly Edwards, who was once an all-state receiver for Monta Vista High School.

 has named Kelly Edwards, 37, of San Jose, its new head football coach, the school announced Friday. He is the sixth head coach to lead the Owls in the college's 55-year history.

Edwards took over as interim coach after Jan. 27. Edwards had served as the Foothill Owls assistant coach and offensive coordinator since 2007. 

"I believe that Kelly has the right combination of experience and leadership to provide the energy and vision that will be required to keep the football program successful in the state's changing climate," said Foothill College  Kinesiology Division Dean & Athletics Director Susan Gutkind.

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"Doug Boyett did a great job of taking Foothill's program to the next level with Top 10 rankings and strong academic success. Maintaining these Foothill College traditions is important to us all, and I am confident that Kelly Edwards will continue that remarkable legacy."

Edwards was standout player at Monta Vista High School. An all-state receiver, he helped lead the Matadors to their one and only CIF Center Coast Section Championship in 1992.

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Edwards studied at Foothill following graduation, and played for the Owls as a wide receiver, according to the college's announcement. "Along with his teammates, Edwards contributed to the Foothill Owls ending the 1995 season 8-2, as well as capturing a berth on the nation's list of the top 20 teams at two-year colleges. While at Foothill, Edwards played under Head Coach Marshall Sperbeck, who will enter his sixth year as the Sacramento State head coach in 2012 (no coach in Sacramento State history has won more games overall or in conference in this first four seasons than Sperbeck)."

Edwards played the remainder of his college career at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. He holds a bachelor's degree from San Jose State University and a master's degree from National University in San Diego. He returned to Foothill with a part-time coaching assignment with the Owls in 1997. In 2001, he became  head football coach at Leland High School in San Jose, he taking the Leland program from 0-10 to a Blossom Valley Athletic League (BVAL) title and a 9-1 finish, Foothill's press statement said.  In 2005, he returned to Foothill College to serve as the Owls' special teams coordinator and defensive backs coach. When Boyett was named head coach in 2007, Edwards took over as offensive coordinator.

Edwards is also a kinesiology and athletics instructor at Foothill, Gutkind said, which contributes to fulfilling another Foothill tradition: successful transfers to four year colleges. 

Even under challenging state budget conditions, Foothill football is committed to makes sure that its student-athletes play competitive football in the toughest intercollegiate conference, and are academically prepared to transfer to Division 1 universities, she said. 

"The young men in our program understand that he cares about them enough to hold them accountable to academic and athletic standards. That's the core of the student-athlete experience."

Under his leadership as offensive coordinator, the Owls have twice finished in the top 10 in the nation and remained in the top 20 for four years. He has an overall record of 41-10 as the Owls offensive coach.

Foothill College is a member of the Coast Conference and NorCal Football Conference of the California Community College Athletic Association

Edwards is the sixth coach to lead the Foothill Owls according to the college, which listed the coache:. Former head coaches include Bill Abbey, 1958-1975; Jim Fairchild, 1975-1985; Gene Scattini, 1985-1994; Marshall Sperbeck, 1994-2006; and Doug Boyett, 2007-2011.


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