Jeff Kelly was a standout quarterback at Citronelle High School. He was named to the honorable mention all-state team as a junior and a senior for the Wildcats. Following his high school career, Kelly spent four seasons as a quarterback at the University of Southern Mississippi (1998-2001). Coach Kelly graduated from Southern Miss with a MBA in 2001.

After a short stint with the NFLs Seattle Seahawks, Kelly took over the football program at Satsuma High school in 2004. Over the next four seasons the Gators went 15-26 qualifying for the playoffs twice.

In 2008, Kelly accepted the head coaching position at Jackson High School. In three seasons as the head football coach, he led the Aggies to a combined 32-8 record including a trip to the Super Six Class 5A finals in 2009. That team lost to Cherokee County in the title game.

In January 2011, he was named as the head football coach at Saraland High School. The program was only one year old at the time but with outstanding facilities it seemed they were primed for a winning program.

Over the first six seasons under his leadership the Spartans finished 52-21 with six playoff appearances. In 2014, the Spartans reached the Class 6A championship game only to fall to Clay-Chalkville. They returned to the championship game in 2018 but fell to Pinson Valley.

His 2022 football team won the first state championship in the history of Saraland by knocking off Mountain Brook in the Super Seven in Auburn.