Houston Cougar Quarterback Case Keenum Granted 6th Year Of Eligibility

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2011 TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (January 15, 2011) The University of Houston and the NCAA have announced that Cougar quarterback Case Keenum has been granted a sixth year of eligibility.

Houston filed the appeal at season end for the sixth year of eligibility after Keenum suffered a season-ending torn ACL on Sept. 18 in a game vs. UCLA. Keenum also suffered a shoulder injury during his senior season in high school, which prohibited him from participating in competition as a true freshman.

Prior to the injury, Keenun was in the race to break NCAA career records for total offense, passing yards, touchdowns, pass attempts and completions. After two-plus games played in 2010, Keenum wrapped up the season with 14,448 career yards of total offense (7th), 13,586 passing yards (5th), 107 touchdown passes (8th), 1,626 pass attempts (10th), 1,118 pass completions (7th).

In a quote released via press release by the University of Houston, Director of Athletics Mack Rhoades stated "We are extremely happy for Case and his family. He is an exceptional person and his dedication to the University of Houston has been evident through this process. I want to thank the NCAA and Conference USA for their assistance in our appeal. There are so many people within the athletic department that worked tirelessly to make this successful, primarily our Assistant Director of Athletics for Compliance Kevin Klotz. Without all these people, our efforts wouldn't have had such an exciting result."

Keenum passed for 274 yards and recorded 22 pass attempts vs. Texas State and with both he became the Houston career record holder in each, passing Kevin Kolb who played from 2003-2006, who currently played for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Keenum is the school record holder in passing yards, total offense, passing touchdowns, attempts and completions. Keenum also holds Houston's single-season records for completions, attempts, passing yards and total offense.

He finished eighth in the 2009 Heisman trophy voting, and led the nation in passing offense and total offense in 2009 and ranked No. 1 in total offense and second in passing in 2008. He led Houston to a No. 1 ranking in the NCAA in passing offense, total offense and scoring offense in 2009.

In addition, Keenum passed for 5,671 yards in 2009, the third-highest passing total in NCAA Division I-FBS single-season history and joined Texas Tech's Graham Harrell as one of only two players to pass for 5,000 yards in two seasons. He has 25 300-yard passing performances in his career and has led Houston to 14 career come-from-behind victories.