Cougs Daily

Three-Star Quarterback Nolan Keeney Commits to BYU

Casey Lundquist

Oct 1, 2021; Logan, Utah, USA; A general view of a helmet worn by Brigham Young Cougars during a game against the Utah State Aggies at Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 1, 2021; Logan, Utah, USA; A general view of a helmet worn by Brigham Young Cougars during a game against the Utah State Aggies at Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports / Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports
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On Thursday, three-star quarterback Nolan Keeney committed to Aaron Roderick and the BYU football program. Keeney picked the Cougars over competing scholarship offers from Houston, Boise State, Nevada, San Diego State, Colorado State, Utah State, and a handful of FCS programs. Keeney had been on BYU's radar for months, but it wasn't until mid May when he picked up an offer from BYU. Fast forward to today and Keeney has decided to shut down his recruitment and commit to BYU.

His offer came at a significant time. Prior to the Keeney offer, every quarterback that BYU had offered in the 2025 class had committed to another school. With no more players on the board, BYU's offensive staff was patient and deliberate before deciding which quarterback to offer next. Keeney, a native of Portland, Oregon, was the quarterback that rose to the top of the list and became BYU's top priority.

Aaron Roderick got his guy.

Keeney has ideal size at 6'4 and 215 pounds. In a junior season that was limited by injury, he threw for 2,460 yards and 28 touchdowns while completing 73% of his passes. He averaged an impressive 19.7 yards per attempt. He wouldn't be classified as a true dual-threat quarterback by any means, but defenses do have to account for his running ability. He ran for 500 yards on the ground as a junior.

Keeney has a big arm and he has a knack for hitting receivers in stride downfield. He isn't a statue in the pocket either. He can scramble around and make plays off schedule using his legs. His release is slightly unorthodox, but he is able to throw accurately both in a clean pocket and on the run.

Whether it was Keeney or another quarterback, BYU had to get the quarterback position right in the 2025 class. BYU's 2025 class needs not only a quarterback, but a quarterback that can become a starter over the next few years at BYU.

Time will tell if Nolan Keeney can become that guy for BYU, but it's hard to disagree with BYU's strategy in this circumstance. For one, Keeney is the top LDS quarterback in the 2025 recruiting class. Second, he holds competing offers from a handful of programs that have had a lot of success at quarterback. Third, he was very productive when healthy as a junior.

Since Keeney is a member of the church, his mission plans could impact when he enrolls at BYU. If he decides to enroll at BYU right away, he could be in a position to compete for the starting job after year one when Jake Retzlaff graduates (assuming Jake Retzlaff wins and holds on to the starting job). If he opts to serve a mission, he would likely enroll in time for the 2027 season.

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Casey Lundquist
CASEY LUNDQUIST

Casey Lundquist is the publisher and lead editor of Cougs Daily. He has covered BYU athletics for the last four years. During that time, he has published over 2,000 stories that have reached more than three million people.

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