These Athens-area high school football teammates will become rivals in college next year
Houses will be divided next fall between families of Tate Titshaw and Jack Kelly.
Titshaw, a three-star running back recruit, committed to Navy two weeks ago, while Kelly, a three-star tight end, closed his recruitment over the summer holidays with a commitment to Army. The North Oconee football stars will go from teammates to foes next year when they join one of the NCAA's biggest college rivalries.
"Our moms are competitive, so they'll make jokes about it, but there will never be bad blood between us," Kelly said. "There's no point in that. I love him a little bit too much and our families are too close to where we'd ever let something like a football game get in between (us)."
The pair are confident the rivalry will be handled well — for now, at least.
"It's pretty bittersweet, ... but also it's kind of fun," Titshaw said.
However, it won't be the first time they've been on opposing sidelines.
Titshaw and Kelly played against each other in middle school football in one of the Athens-area's biggest rivalries: Prince Avenue Christian and Athens Academy.
"I actually didn't know Tate back in middle school. I met him in high school," Kelly said. "I knew of him, but I didn't know him as a friend back then. Looking back on it, I'm glad we had a little bit of rivalry. Rivalries are always good; they keep your competitive edge."
Perhaps they'll give their college teams insider knowledge on each other's play style, Kelly joked. It's hard to get someone like Titshaw down though, he added. "He always changes his game."
They've seen each other grow over the past four years, both on and off the field.
Kelly called Titshaw a versatile player. Between his ability to run routes, catch the ball, be a power back or hit the edge, Kelly said he's seen his friend perform and succeed in all aspects on the field.
"He's the definition of an athlete," Kelly said. "And he's huge for our team right now. He's a very big component and I've got nothing but respect for him. ... He is so fun to watch, and I really hope (Army) gives me the opportunity to play some defense so I can go hit him a little bit too."
Titshaw called Kelly a team player, describing him as someone who puts the team above himself. That, and he's seen Kelly literally grow. Kelly stands at 6-foot-4 and 235lbs, according to his 247Sports profile.
"He hit a growth spurt as of lately and he's a big dude now," Titshaw laughed.
Kelly played running back and middle linebacker to start his football career in seventh grade, until he got too big and focused exclusively for a time on defense. After sophomore year, he'd put on more muscle and weight and moved to the defensive line and tight end, which is what he's been recruited to play in college.
Titshaw had offers from Appalachian State, South Carolina and Georgia Southern as well, and was recruited to Navy by offensive coordinator Grant Chestnut.
"When I was little, I always used to have this dream to go to the Naval Academy and play football, which is really weird because it actually turned out that way," Titshaw said. "It's something that you can't really take for granted. Sure, you've got to sit back and enjoy it all, but it's also another step to get better, work and really try to make the dreams I've dreamt of ... happen. And part of it is already a reality."
Kelly, who ranks just inside the top-100 class of 2024 tight end commits for the 247Sports Composite, had offers from all over the country, including Georgia's recent opponent UAB and several Ivy League schools like Dartmouth, Columbia and Yale. He was recruited to Army by safeties coach Danny Verpaele.
Military academies don't participate in early enrollment like a lot of the NCAA Division I schools, so the duo will finish their full senior year at North Oconee.
"It's going to be a cool experience," Titshaw said, "a cool part of my life and I'm ready for it."
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: North Oconee football's Tate Titshaw, Jack Kelly headed to Navy, Army
