WVLT – KNOXVILLE, Tenn. Curtis “Chip” Kell, the 75-year-old Vol for Life and College Football Hall of Famer, passed away on Saturday, the University of Tennessee said on Thursday.
Kell attended UT from 1968 to 1970 and was a three-time member of the SEC team. Kell was chosen as the 21st Vol to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
In 1968, as a sophomore, the VFL played center; in 1969, he switched to guard. He was a member of teams that finished 8-2-1 in 1968, 9-2 and won the SEC in 1969, and 11-1 in 1970. His team was unbeaten at Shields-Watkins Field in his varsity career, with the exception of a 17–17 draw with Georgia.
In addition, Kell was named the SEC’s finest blocker by the Jacobs Memorial Award two times, and during his senior year, he was named the Birmingham Quarterback Club’s most outstanding lineman.
In 1968 and 1969, “Chip” Kell was coached by former UT Director of Athletics Doug Dickey, who stated of the athlete, “one of the most powerful athletes that I had ever coached at that time.” “By using weight training, he developed way ahead of his time and became a true leader on the football team.”
Although Kell played two seasons with the CFL Edmonton Eskimos in 1971 and 1972, he was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the 17th round of the 1971 NFL Draft.
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