The Terps' Comeback Kid

Kelley Is Undaunted, Even After Numerous Injuries

Maryland safety Chris Kelley (Seneca Valley High) has battled through three surgeries in five years. He had nine tackles in the season opener. (Preston Keres - The Washington Post)

On occasion, some Germantown residents refer to Chris Kelley in the past tense. They view his college career at Maryland as a failure, too much hype followed by too many injuries. Once, a local approached Kelley's older brother Mike, not knowing the two were related, and said, "Man, Chris Kelley was a disappointment at Maryland."

It hurts the family because, after all, Kelley never asked for the fading scars below his knees that represent three surgeries in the past four years. He never wanted to struggle at quarterback and initially at safety after each rehabilitation. There were times the coaching staff wondered if Kelley, one of the most heavily recruited players on the team, would ever contribute.

"I just know some people say, 'What's all the fuss about?' " Mike Kelley said. "I hope he puts that all to bed."

For Kelley and his family, Saturday's game against Northern Illinois proved a monumental moment, ultimate relief. Finally, Kelley is healthy, starting and playing well. Said Kelley, "It's something I've been waiting for my whole life."

At strong safety, he registered nine tackles against the Huskies, all while playing with the incessant zeal that those who know him best say defines his life. Even when he played quarterback, he competed with a linebacker's mentality.

With Kelley's comeback an intriguing story line early in the Terps' season, his family granted numerous interviews this week. But the Kelleys are superstitious, said Mike Kelley, who added, "I'm just kind of nervous."

Chris Kelley received similar publicity in April 2002 before Maryland's spring game. At the time, he had risen to No. 1 on the quarterback depth chart. He had battled back from two reconstructive left knee surgeries to repair torn anterior cruciate ligaments.

He entered the 2002 spring game with his primary goal -- "to start for this university" -- within reach. During the game, Kelley cut one way and went another. He heard the familiar pop and knew: this time, his right knee.

His family joined him afterward in the Gossett Team House. They all cried. And there were equally dark moments ahead.

Soon after, Mike called Chris from work and heard sadness in his voice. Chris looked at the long road ahead instead of each incremental step.

He underwent his third surgery on May 8, 2002, and then remained optimistic, engaging in a relentless rehab program in Silver Spring: underwater treadmills, balance beams, trampolines. His father remembers a therapist asking, "Can you do this?"

He never had serious doubt. Kelley, 22, forged his perseverance, his aggression, from daily competitions against his brothers -- John, 23, and Mike, 28. A tattoo festooned to Kelley's bicep signifies family and is not far from his heart.

The brothers weren't ones to sit indoors all day. "Chris and I are terrible video game players," said John Kelley, who played at Towson State and now coaches linebackers at Wesley College.

The brothers played in the Kelley backyard, which is some 40 yards by 30 yards, perfect for tackle football. No one is sure how grass still grew. Chris often played one-on-one football against John in the snow. They sometimes damaged the wooden fence, also known as the end zone, and hammered it back together. Some kids broke noses and bloodied faces.