University of Tennessee Athletics
Chip Kell
June 08, 2006 | Football
 |
Decatur, Ga.
Elected 2006
Chip Kell, a two-time consensus All-America and three-time All-SEC selection during his playing days at Tennessee (1968-70), is the 21st Vol to be selected to college football's shrine in South Bend, Ind.
Kell played center in 1968 as a sophomore and moved to guard in 1969 without missing a beat. He is one of 14 Vols named All-America twice. He joins three other former Vols, fullback Curt Watson (1969-71), offensive guard Mickey Marvin (1974-76) and placekicker Jeff Hall (1995-96, 1998), as Tennessee players who earned All-SEC honors three times.
Kell came to the Vols in the 1966-67 recruiting class from Avondale High School in Decatur, Ga. He played on teams that earned an 8-2-1 record in 1968, a 9-2 record and the SEC title in 1969 and an 11-1 mark and final No. 4 ranking in 1970. During his Tennessee varsity career, he and his senior classmates never lost on Shields-Watkins Field, with only a 17-17 tie against Georgia in the 1968 season opener marring the record. Kell and his Vol teammates closed their careers with a rousing 34-13 win over Air Force in the 1971 Sugar Bowl, ending their time at Tennessee on a 10-game win streak, 28-5-1 overall.
He was a two-time winner of the Jacobs Memorial Award as the SEC's best blocker and was the Birmingham Quarterback Club's SEC most outstanding lineman in his senior season. He also played in the 1971 Senior Bowl. He was named national lineman of the week after the 1970 Kentucky game.
After being drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the 17th round of the 1971 NFL draft and following a two-year career with the CFL Edmonton Eskimos (1971-72).
