BALTIMORE - Fresno State junior quarterback Mikey Keene was named to the preseason watch list for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, announced by the organization on Wednesday.
One of 63 initial watch list nominees, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award is presented by the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc. and is presented annually since 1987 to the nation's top college quarterback. Keene is one of four Mountain West quarterbacks on the list.
An All-Mountain West honorable mention selection in 2023, Keene returns for his second season in a Bulldog uniform. The Arizona native who began his career at UCF (2021-22) before joining the Bulldogs as a mid-year addition in January 2023, threw for 2,976 yards and 24 touchdowns a season ago. Keene completed 283-of-422 pass attempts, starting in 11 of 12 games played and missing one to injury.
Keene showed his accuracy in 2023, throwing for a 67.06 completion percentage in year one of the Bulldog offense. His accuracy didn't just start last season. In his collegiate career, Keene has completed 516-of-777 pass attempts and ranks fifth among all active FBS quarterbacks entering 2024 with a 66.41 career completion percentage.
He finished the 2023 season on a high note, throwing for a career-best 380 yards against New Mexico State in the Isleta New Mexico Bowl on Dec. 16. He completed 31-of-39 passes in the bowl game, sparked by 15-straight completions to open the game. Keene was named the bowl game's Offensive MVP for his performance. He also started the 2023 season on a high note, cementing the best debut by a Bulldog quarterback in program history with a then-career-high 366 yards and four touchdowns, completing 31-of-44 pass attempts in Fresno State's season-opening win at Purdue (Sept. 2).
Keene spent the first two seasons of his collegiate career at UCF (2021-22) before transferring to Fresno State, taking a redshirt season in 2022. He played in four games in 2022 before taking the redshirt year, and completed 60-of-83 pass attempts for 647 yards that season. As a true freshman in 2021, he played in 11 games,completing 173-of-272 pass attempts for 1,730 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Keene has loaded up the preseason recognitions ahead of 2024, being named the preseason All-Mountain West quarterback by the league's media. He was the only Mountain West quarterback added to the preseason watch list for the Davey O'Brien award. He also earned recognition by Phil Steele, Athlon Sports and College Football Network.