2010 Heisman Hopefuls: Case Keenum
The University of Houston is no stranger to high-flying passing attacks. So strong was the ‘Air Pardee’ attack led by head coach Jack Pardee in the late 1980s that even though the team was barred from post-season play for a couple years as well as from appearing on television, the team was still able to collect some impressive accolades.
Even though the sanctions came into effect during the 1989 season the Cougars would have an incredibly successful season. Quarterback Andre Ware threw for 4299 yards and 44 touchdowns on the season, good enough to win the Heisman trophy that year over the likes of future NFL players like Emmitt Smith, Ty Detmer, and Raghib Ismail. One of his best games came against the Texas Longhorns, a 475-yard performance at home in the Astrodome.
Pardee would leave for the NFL the next season, but the passing attack didn't miss a beat under offensive coordinator-turned-head-coach John Jenkins. Ware left after the 1989 season like Pardee, leaving David Klingler to start at quarterback. Klingler would not disappoint. Houston’s high flying ways contined as Klingler passed for 11 touchdowns in a single game en route to a thenecord 54 for the 1990 season. Klingler would finish third in Heisman voting that year.
Years later, the passing attack still rules the day for the Houston Cougars. Now it is with Case Keenum at the helm.
High School
In high school Keenum played at a smaller school in Abilene, Texas, 3A Wylie High School. Perhaps that is why he did not garner much attention from college scouts. When he was done playing the only team to offer him a scholarship was the University of Houston, making the decision fairly easy for him.
As a starter with 42 starts under his belt in high school, Keenum was a seasoned player. He led the team to their only state championship in 2004, beating Cuero 17-14. Over the span of his career he would go on to win 31 games and lose 11. Statistically, he compiled close to 7000 yards passing (6783) with 48 touchdown passes to go with another 41 touchdowns and 2000 yards on the ground.
With numbers like that it would seem logical for colleges to have an interest in Keenum and some did including Baylor, North Texas, UTEP, and Houston. But in the end, only Houston gave the three sport letterman (football, baseball, and track) a scholarship.
College
Keenum wore the red shirt his freshman year in 2006, with Houston having future NFL quarterback Kevin Kolb at the helm. In 2007 he started showing what he could do by receiving time in all 13 games and starting seven. With just over half the starts he still led the team in passing completing 187 of 273 passes for 2259 yards with 14 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. But it would be the next two years whe, Keenum would really make teams regret not recruiting him.
In 2008 Keenum led the nation in offense throwing the ball 589 times and completing 397 passes (67.4%) for 44 touchdowns and only 11 interceptions, and place second in passing behind Texas Tech’s Graham Harrell. It would be just the second time in school history a Cougar would throw for 5000+ yards in a season, and the first time since 1980 that the Cougars would win a bowl game.
The 2009 season would be even better for Keenum. He threw the ball an incredible 700 times completing over 70% of his throws (492) for 5671 yards and another 44 touchdowns, but with 15 interceptions this time. He ledthe nation in both passing and overall offense; the Cougars would be the top ranked team in total offense, scoring offense, and passing yards.
Keenum was a Heisman candidate in 2009, but had the luck of playing at a school that did not receive a whole lot of national recognition. However, after two 5000+ yard seasons in a row Keenum’s name will likely come up early and often in the running for the trophy this year.
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