By Matt Cook
Sports Editor

On Dec. 20, 2011, football Head Coach Tom Kelley was named the Division II-III Head Coach of the Year by the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston in part to his recent success.

In 2010, Kelley led the FSU team to its first postseason bid, its first postseason victory, and the Rams won the most games in a single season with a 9-2 record.

“I think that was one of the most exciting times I’ve had here, other than being a player,” Kelley said. “It was just so fulfilling. The support from the institution was incredible.”

That year, the Rams rallied in overtime to come from behind and defeat Norwich, 27-21 in the ECAC Northeast Bowl. It was the first time in history the Rams went to and won in the postseason.

Kelley said he promised the 2007 recruiting class that they’d capture a spot in a bowl game, and the team did just that.

“It was a proud moment in the history of Framingham football.”

Last year, Framingham carried its momentum over and made it to the postseason once more, competing for the NEFC title against Western New England University on Nov. 12. They were downed in overtime, 20-13, but continued their success.

“We certainly had brought the team farther than any other,” Kelley said. “Our ultimate goal was to get the conference championship. It was a place we had never been before.”

He added the team had won games when they needed to, and because of it, the Rams were able to win six straight after starting the season losing two of their first three.

“I’m very proud with the team,” said Kelley. “The biggest disappointment of that game was having to look the seniors in the eye and tell them it’s over.  It was unchartered territory for us, and we did it playing five different quarterbacks during the year. We had injury upon injury.”

But Kelley’s tenure with Framingham State didn’t start just a few years ago.

“I came here in the early days of men being on campus in 1972. That was the inaugural football year. It was actually the first year of Linsley Hall, so it was the first residence class of men on campus.”

He also noted that it was a unique time to be a college student, because the Vietnam War was coming to an end. Kelley was a 17-year-old freshman playing side by side with veterans from overseas.

“It was a privilege to be here at the start. I came and never really left,” he said. “I did for two years, but I was still involved in the recruiting, and I came back in 1978 as the assistant coach.”

Four years following his assistant coaching position, Kelley became the second coach in the program’s history in 1982, “at the ripe age of twenty-seven.”

Kelley acknowledged his position required him to do a lot of rebuilding. He said he brought in a lot of good athletes in during that time, and the 1985-86 season was the last time since 2010 when the Rams had a winning season.

Upon being recognized as coach of the year, Kelley admitted it was an emotional award.

“It’s not about Tom Kelley, it’s about everyone else but. The thing started when President [Timothy] Flanagan came on board. We brought some assistant coaches on board who believed in what we were selling,” said Kelley.

When asked about what is in store for the future, Kelley said that every year, the Rams try to raise the bar and bring in even better players. “Athletics before was a nice thing to have. It was fun, and if we lost-nobody cared. That was different when Flanagan came on board.”

The Rams aren’t opening the doors for any athlete. According to Kelley, they’re students first, and that’s what he’s most proud of.

“Players win games, coaches lose them. You could be the best coach on the planet, but without good players, you won’t win a lot of games,” he added.

In terms of what has been the best thing for Kelley over the last years, he said, “We overcame some major injuries and still got to the big dance.

“That’s the thing I’m most proud of.”