Eastern Michigan Athletics
Football
Keen, Aaron
vs
Louisiana
Sep 20 (Sat)
3:30 p.m.
Aaron Keen
- Title:
- Assistant Coach/Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
- Email:
- akeen2@emich.edu
- Phone:
- 734.487.2160
Aaron Keen enters his sixth season at EMU in 2018 and the third as the team’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Prior to taking over the offense, he was the Eagles’ special teams coordinator and tight ends coach three years. Keen has significant experience both as a player and coach at many different levels of football, including 25 years as a collegiate coach.
Last year, quarterback Tyler Wiegers led the MAC in completion percentage at 64.8, a clip that ranked 24th nationally. He shared time with Mike Glass III, who missed four games due to injury, but the two combined for 27 touchdowns (20 passing, 7 rushing), 2,911 passing yards, and just four interceptions.
In 2017, Keen’s pass-heavy offense averaged 257.3 yards per game through the air to rank third in the Mid-American Conference. Senior quarterback Brogan Roback set the program record with 57 career touchdown passes and 8,876 career yards of total offense. Roback ranked 27th nationally in passing yardage (2,890), 34th in passing touchdowns (19), and 36th in passing yards per game (240.8).
The 2016 EMU football team tied the Football Bowl Subdivision mark for biggest turnarounds, improving on their win total from one win in 2015, to seven this season. As an offense, EMU ranked 35th in the FBS in total offense, posting 455.2 yards per game in 13 contests. The team also shattered the school record for total offense with 5,917 yards, breaking the previous record of 5,010. Other notable offensive highlights for the Eagles this past season include ranking 17th in third down conversions, 17th in first down offense, 19th in passing offense, and 22nd in red zone offense.
As a junior, Roback put up tall numbers in his 10 appearances in 2016. He finished with 219 completions for 2,694 yards and 18 touchdowns. He had six 300-yard games and a season-high of 468 yards. The offense got its start up front from an experienced offensive line, which had 166 combined starts under its belt. The group combined to allow the ninth fewest sacks in the nation, as well as the second fewest tackles for a loss. On the ground, redshirt sophomore Ian Eriksen led the rushing attack with 771 yards on 184 carries and nine scores. Junior Sergio Bailey II was the leading pass catcher with 60 receptions for 868 yards and seven touchdowns.
Keen’s specialists were efficient in 2016 with both punter Austin Barnes and placekicker Paul Fricano collecting Second Team All-MAC honors. Barnes, a Ray Guy semifinalist, ranked 25th in the country and second in the MAC with a 43.5 yard average. His average of 50.0 against Bowling Green, Oct. 1, was an EMU single-game record, while his season average broke the 36-year single-season record. Fricano burst onto the scene this season as a model of consistency, breaking the school’s single-season extra point record after converting on 42-of-43 attempts this season. Additionally, tight end Nigel Kilby was the only freshman to be was named to the John Mackey Award Midseason Watch List.
Special teams were a major source of pride for the Eagles in 2015 and both kicker Dylan Mulder and Barnes had historic seasons. One of the most accurate kickers in program history, Mulder made 68.6 percent of his field goal attempts. He became the only kicker in school-history to make three-or-more field goals from 50-or-longer in the same season, pushing it through from 51, 52, and 55 during in 2015 campaign. Barnes tied the EMU single-season mark for punting average at 43.6 yards per boot. The total ranked second in the MAC and 29th in the NCAA, as he had nine kicks travel more than 50-yards with 15 landing inside the 20-yard-line.
In 2014, Keen helped tight end Tyreese Russell earn John Mackey Award Midseason Watch List accolades, as well as third team All-MAC honors after he led the team in receiving with 39 catches for 523 yards. On special teams, EMU finished the year tied for first nationally with Georgia Tech, Northwestern, and Oklahoma State for most blocked kicks with six. The six rejections were the most since the 2009 season when the Green and White also blocked six kicks.
Before arriving in Ypsilanti, Keen joined the Minnesota State University staff prior to the start of the 2011 season as offensive coordinator before serving as acting head coach for the Mavericks in 2012 and 2013.
In 2013, Minnesota State finished with an 11-1 record and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament after putting together an undefeated Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference season (11-0). Keen was named AFCA Region 5 Coach of the Year after guiding the Mavericks to their second consecutive NSIC regular season championship.
Minnesota State finished 13-1 in 2012, earning a berth in the NCAA Division II national semifinals. The Mavericks hosted three NCAA playoff games at Blakeslee Stadium after going undefeated in NSIC action, capturing the 2012 league title with an 11-0 mark. The 2012 squad saw three players earn Capital One Academic All-American honors as kicker Sam Brockshus and defensive end Chris Schaudt were named to the first team, while offensive lineman Josh Meeker was a second-team selection. Additionally, Brockshus was honored as an American Football Coaches Association All-American.
Keen, who was named Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Coach of the Year and American Football Coaches Association Regional Coach of the Year, saw 12 student-athletes earn First, Second, or Honorable Mention All-NSIC honors in 2012.
Offensively, the Mavericks finished the year with 5,670 yards of total offense, 3,300 of which were on the ground and 2,370 of which came via the air. The rushing offense total was the second-best single-season effort in school history, while the passing mark was the 10th-best. On the defensive side of the ball, Minnesota State finished with a school record 103 tackles for a loss to complement 22 interceptions, which were tied for the fifth-best single-season effort in school history.
In his first season at MSU, Keen oversaw an offensive unit that averaged 31.8 points per game and 357.8 yards of total offense.
Prior to coming to Minnesota State, Keen spent three seasons as the offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach, and receivers coach at the University of Nebraska-Omaha.
While at UNO, Keen helped oversee Maverick squads that went a combined 19-15 in three seasons, scoring 30 or more points in 19 games. During his time, he helped lead the Mavericks to an NCAA appearance in 2008 and saw the team participate in the Kanza Bowl in 2009. In 2008, UNO ranked third in the NCAA in rushing offense and, in 2009, the team was ranked 14th in the nation in total offense and set team records in passing and total offense. He also coached Zach Miller, who was drafted in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Prior to his stint in Omaha, Keen spent five seasons as the head coach at Division III Illinois College in Jacksonville, Ill. During his time with IC, Keen was 23-27 and his 20 wins in Midwest Conference competition were the most since the Blueboys joined the league in 1983.
In total, he led the team to a pair of six-win seasons. He also produced 51 all-conference players while overseeing its growth from just 60 players to over 100. The Blueboys ranked number one in passing offense among Midwest Conference teams in 2007, thanks to an average of 287.5 yards per game. The team also ranked third in total offense during the 2007 campaign at 382.9 yards per game.
Keen was also an assistant coach at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo., from 1994-2002. At Washington, he coached tight ends and tackles in 1994, linebackers and coordinated special teams from 1995-98, and was the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach from 1999-2002.
A Cheyenne, Wyo. native, Keen received his bachelor’s degree from Washington University in St. Louis in 1994 and his master’s degree from the University of Missouri in 1997.
While at Washington as an undergraduate, Keen was a four-year letterwinner in football and a three-year starter at quarterback. In 1991 and 1993, he was an all-conference pick and an honorable mention All-American selection.
Keen and his wife, Michelle, have two sons, Brandon and Cody, and a daughter, Addison.
Last year, quarterback Tyler Wiegers led the MAC in completion percentage at 64.8, a clip that ranked 24th nationally. He shared time with Mike Glass III, who missed four games due to injury, but the two combined for 27 touchdowns (20 passing, 7 rushing), 2,911 passing yards, and just four interceptions.
In 2017, Keen’s pass-heavy offense averaged 257.3 yards per game through the air to rank third in the Mid-American Conference. Senior quarterback Brogan Roback set the program record with 57 career touchdown passes and 8,876 career yards of total offense. Roback ranked 27th nationally in passing yardage (2,890), 34th in passing touchdowns (19), and 36th in passing yards per game (240.8).
The 2016 EMU football team tied the Football Bowl Subdivision mark for biggest turnarounds, improving on their win total from one win in 2015, to seven this season. As an offense, EMU ranked 35th in the FBS in total offense, posting 455.2 yards per game in 13 contests. The team also shattered the school record for total offense with 5,917 yards, breaking the previous record of 5,010. Other notable offensive highlights for the Eagles this past season include ranking 17th in third down conversions, 17th in first down offense, 19th in passing offense, and 22nd in red zone offense.
As a junior, Roback put up tall numbers in his 10 appearances in 2016. He finished with 219 completions for 2,694 yards and 18 touchdowns. He had six 300-yard games and a season-high of 468 yards. The offense got its start up front from an experienced offensive line, which had 166 combined starts under its belt. The group combined to allow the ninth fewest sacks in the nation, as well as the second fewest tackles for a loss. On the ground, redshirt sophomore Ian Eriksen led the rushing attack with 771 yards on 184 carries and nine scores. Junior Sergio Bailey II was the leading pass catcher with 60 receptions for 868 yards and seven touchdowns.
Keen’s specialists were efficient in 2016 with both punter Austin Barnes and placekicker Paul Fricano collecting Second Team All-MAC honors. Barnes, a Ray Guy semifinalist, ranked 25th in the country and second in the MAC with a 43.5 yard average. His average of 50.0 against Bowling Green, Oct. 1, was an EMU single-game record, while his season average broke the 36-year single-season record. Fricano burst onto the scene this season as a model of consistency, breaking the school’s single-season extra point record after converting on 42-of-43 attempts this season. Additionally, tight end Nigel Kilby was the only freshman to be was named to the John Mackey Award Midseason Watch List.
Special teams were a major source of pride for the Eagles in 2015 and both kicker Dylan Mulder and Barnes had historic seasons. One of the most accurate kickers in program history, Mulder made 68.6 percent of his field goal attempts. He became the only kicker in school-history to make three-or-more field goals from 50-or-longer in the same season, pushing it through from 51, 52, and 55 during in 2015 campaign. Barnes tied the EMU single-season mark for punting average at 43.6 yards per boot. The total ranked second in the MAC and 29th in the NCAA, as he had nine kicks travel more than 50-yards with 15 landing inside the 20-yard-line.
In 2014, Keen helped tight end Tyreese Russell earn John Mackey Award Midseason Watch List accolades, as well as third team All-MAC honors after he led the team in receiving with 39 catches for 523 yards. On special teams, EMU finished the year tied for first nationally with Georgia Tech, Northwestern, and Oklahoma State for most blocked kicks with six. The six rejections were the most since the 2009 season when the Green and White also blocked six kicks.
Before arriving in Ypsilanti, Keen joined the Minnesota State University staff prior to the start of the 2011 season as offensive coordinator before serving as acting head coach for the Mavericks in 2012 and 2013.
In 2013, Minnesota State finished with an 11-1 record and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament after putting together an undefeated Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference season (11-0). Keen was named AFCA Region 5 Coach of the Year after guiding the Mavericks to their second consecutive NSIC regular season championship.
Minnesota State finished 13-1 in 2012, earning a berth in the NCAA Division II national semifinals. The Mavericks hosted three NCAA playoff games at Blakeslee Stadium after going undefeated in NSIC action, capturing the 2012 league title with an 11-0 mark. The 2012 squad saw three players earn Capital One Academic All-American honors as kicker Sam Brockshus and defensive end Chris Schaudt were named to the first team, while offensive lineman Josh Meeker was a second-team selection. Additionally, Brockshus was honored as an American Football Coaches Association All-American.
Keen, who was named Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Coach of the Year and American Football Coaches Association Regional Coach of the Year, saw 12 student-athletes earn First, Second, or Honorable Mention All-NSIC honors in 2012.
Offensively, the Mavericks finished the year with 5,670 yards of total offense, 3,300 of which were on the ground and 2,370 of which came via the air. The rushing offense total was the second-best single-season effort in school history, while the passing mark was the 10th-best. On the defensive side of the ball, Minnesota State finished with a school record 103 tackles for a loss to complement 22 interceptions, which were tied for the fifth-best single-season effort in school history.
In his first season at MSU, Keen oversaw an offensive unit that averaged 31.8 points per game and 357.8 yards of total offense.
Prior to coming to Minnesota State, Keen spent three seasons as the offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach, and receivers coach at the University of Nebraska-Omaha.
While at UNO, Keen helped oversee Maverick squads that went a combined 19-15 in three seasons, scoring 30 or more points in 19 games. During his time, he helped lead the Mavericks to an NCAA appearance in 2008 and saw the team participate in the Kanza Bowl in 2009. In 2008, UNO ranked third in the NCAA in rushing offense and, in 2009, the team was ranked 14th in the nation in total offense and set team records in passing and total offense. He also coached Zach Miller, who was drafted in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Prior to his stint in Omaha, Keen spent five seasons as the head coach at Division III Illinois College in Jacksonville, Ill. During his time with IC, Keen was 23-27 and his 20 wins in Midwest Conference competition were the most since the Blueboys joined the league in 1983.
In total, he led the team to a pair of six-win seasons. He also produced 51 all-conference players while overseeing its growth from just 60 players to over 100. The Blueboys ranked number one in passing offense among Midwest Conference teams in 2007, thanks to an average of 287.5 yards per game. The team also ranked third in total offense during the 2007 campaign at 382.9 yards per game.
Keen was also an assistant coach at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo., from 1994-2002. At Washington, he coached tight ends and tackles in 1994, linebackers and coordinated special teams from 1995-98, and was the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach from 1999-2002.
A Cheyenne, Wyo. native, Keen received his bachelor’s degree from Washington University in St. Louis in 1994 and his master’s degree from the University of Missouri in 1997.
While at Washington as an undergraduate, Keen was a four-year letterwinner in football and a three-year starter at quarterback. In 1991 and 1993, he was an all-conference pick and an honorable mention All-American selection.
Keen and his wife, Michelle, have two sons, Brandon and Cody, and a daughter, Addison.
| The Aaron Keen File | ||
| Name: | Aaron Keen | |
| High School: | Cheyenne East H.S. - Cheyenne., Wyo. | |
| College: | Washington University in St. Louis - Bachelor’s degree in History and Secondary Education - 1994 | |
| University of Missouri - Master's degree in Secondary Education - 1997 | ||
| Family: | Wife-Michelle; Children-Addison, Brandon and Cody | |
| Coaching Experience | ||
| Year | School | Position |
| 2017-Pres. | Eastern Michigan University | Assistant Coach/Offensive Coordinator/QB |
| 2014-16 | Eastern Michigan University | Assistant Coach/Special Teams Coordinator/TE |
| 2013 | Minnesota State University | Interim Head Coach |
| 2012 | Minnesota State University | Acting Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator |
| 2011 | Minnesota State University | Assistant Coach/Offensive Coordinator |
| 2008-10 | University of Nebraska-Omaha | Assistant Coach/Offensive Coordinator |
| 2003-07 | Illinois College | Head Coach |
| 1994-02 | Washington University | Assistant Coach |
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