Foothill College named Kelly Edwards the new head coach of the Owls football program after the unexpected death of former head coach Doug Boyett.

The Owls had a winning record during Boyett’s five years as head coach with a 41-14 record. They were also victorious in four of five bowl games. 

Boyett, Edwards’ predecessor, played as a defensive back for the Owls from 1978 to 1979. He became a full-time assistant coach in 1990, and head coach in 2007 after Marshall Sperbeck, his predecessor, vacated the position.

Edwards played wide receiver at Foothill under Sperbeck, and would go on to become a part-time assistant coach in 1997, assuming a full-time position in 2005. After Boyett became head coach, Edwards served as his offensive coordinator.

Edwards has the support of kinesiology division dean and athletics director Susan Gutkind, who in a Foothill announcement said, “I  believe that Kelly has the right combination of experience and leadership to provide the energy and vision that will be required to keep the football program successful in the state’s changing climate.”

Gutkind mentioned that Foothill’s focus was not only the team’s performance on the football field, but its academic performance as well. Ninety percent of the student-athletes who played for Boyett would transfer to four-year universities. Gutkind stated she is confident that Edwards would continue that remarkable legacy.

Between his time as a part-time coach for the Owls’ wide receivers and his return as their full-time special teams coordinator and defensive back coach, Edwards took a head coach position at Leland High School in San Jose. During his tenure, the Chargers went from a winless 0-10 record to a 9-1 season.

Edwards is Foothill’s sixth head football coach, anteceded by head coaches Doug Boyett, Marshall Sperbeck, Gene Scattini, Jim Fairchild and Bill Abbey.