Ole Miss QB Chad Kelly returning for senior season

Ole Miss is losing offensive stars Laquon Treadwell and Laremy Tunsil to the 2016 NFL Draft, but the program got some good news Monday as quarterback Chad Kelly said he'll return for his senior season.

"After serious discussion with my family and Coach Freeze, I wanted my friends and fans to know that I'll be staying at Ole Miss for my senior year," the star pivot said in a statement. "I look forward to completing my degree and graduating from Ole Miss."

The junior college transfer was exceptional in his first season with the Rebels, throwing for 4,042 yards and 31 touchdowns while adding 500 yards and 10 scores on the ground. Kelly acknowledged the loss of talent on the offensive side of the football, but reiterated his confidence in coach Hugh Freeze's staff.

"We've lost a lot of starters, but we're still deep in talent, and I'm excited to get back to work with Coach Freeze, Coach (Dan) Werner and the rest of the team."

The Rebels finished the 2015 season strong by hammering Oklahoma State in the Sugar Bowl, and with Kelly back in the fold, could enter the 2016 campaign as a top 15 team.