Kelsey's rise to starting U of L LB quick

Keith Kelsey wasn't expected to start at middle linebacker in 2014.

The University of Louisville sophomore may have played in 12 games last year as a reserve, but Keith Brown, a linebacker with NFL potential who was coming off an injury, was supposed to fill the starting inside linebacker spot next to James Burgess.

Kelsey, a 6-foot-1, 233-pound Gainesville, Fla., native, would have to wait his turn.

But this fall, through two starts in two games, Kelsey's shown why his rise at middle linebacker came quicker than expected. He's tied for the team lead with nine tackles, and he's recorded a fumble and quarterback hurry, too.

"He's steady," U of L coach Bobby Petrino said. "He's very, very dedicated. He's just going to continue to get better with more experience."

What did Kelsey do to earn the starts? He pushed himself, Petrino said, especially this summer.

The team had three weeks off in May, but most of U of L's players still came to the Howard Schnellenberger Football Complex to work out.

Some, Petrino explained, showed up more than others.

"He was in here every day," Petrino said.

And when the time came for Louisville to start its summer program in June, Kelsey had already gained weight, strength and "looked awesome," Petrino added.

Kelsey starting isn't a knock on Brown, who suffered a season-ending knee injury last fall and worked his way back to health over the past year.

It's more about Kelsey, who has football in his DNA.

Kelsey's dad, Keith Sr., won four letters playing at the University of Florida in the late 1990s. A linebacker, Kelsey totaled 91 tackles in his senior season in 1999.

Charlie Strong left Florida's coaching staff in 1994, before he could coach the elder Kelsey in college, but Strong helped recruit Kelsey as a high school prospect.

Two decades later, it only made sense for Strong to pay attention when the younger Kelsey rose through the recruiting ranks. When Kelsey signed with the Cardinals, he picked U of L over Kentucky and South Florida.

"(The relationship with Strong) had something to do with it, but University of Louisville is a great place as well," said Kelsey, who speaks through a seemingly permanent grin.

Things at Louisville have worked out well for Kelsey so far.

He made 24 tackles last season. Last week against Miami, in his first career start, Kelsey recorded five tackles. He added four more tackles on Saturday against Murray State.

He should have a defensive touchdown on his stat line, too.

Kelsey's fumble recovery against Miami last Monday would've gone for a score, but officials whistled the play dead, thinking it was an incomplete pass before overturning their original call. Even though it didn't count, Kelsey's ensuing 87-yard fumble return to the end zone put him on the scoreboard's video screen at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium.

And even though he played as a backup last year, Kelsey's No. 55 and his grin on that video screen felt relatively new to a lot of U of L fans.

Those around the program already knew all about him.

"I know you have to work hard to get where you want to be," Kelsey said. "I learned that from my dad growing up."

Reach U of L beat writer Jeff Greer at (502) 582-4044 and follow him on Twitter (@jeffgreer_cj).