Keenum receives sixth year of eligibility

Christmas came 20 days late for the UH community.

The University announced Friday that quarterback Case Keenum won his appeal, and will be granted a sixth season of eligibility.

“I assumed I wasn’t going to get it and hoped for the best,” Keenum said. “I almost planned for not getting it, so I didn’t get my hopes too high. Not many people get a second chance; I’m definitely thankful.”

The Athletics Department had to prove that Keenum’s redshirt in his freshman season was out of his control. It was assumed that he voluntarily redshirted to develop his skills, but he suffered a separated shoulder in his last high school game, and then re-aggravated the injury in an all-star game the following summer.

Keenum graduated in December with a major in kinesiology but will continue his education at UH. He has taken the GRE exam necessary to apply for graduate school, but has not yet decided what he will study.

“That’s just another perk of this,” Keenum said. “That’s something I didn’t expect when I got here.”

Keenum said the rehabilitation process is on his schedule, and that his priority is to be able to participate in contact drills for the start of next season — not the spring period.

“We’re starting to see some return, and seeing some progress,” he said. I’m getting back to doing a lot of functional things like jogging and trying to take different drops and throwing the ball. I’m figuring out how to use my muscles and my leg again because I haven’t done it in three or four months.”

Keenum tore his right anterior cruciate ligament in a Sept. 18 loss to UCLA after attempting to tackle UCLA linebacker Akeem Ayers, who had just intercepted a pass.

The announcement is appropriately timed, as the deadline to apply for the NFL draft is tomorrow.