Tualatin quarterback Nolan Keeney was so good as a junior last season, what can he do better as a senior?
For starters, stay healthy.
The BYU-bound Keeney began last football season on fire before breaking his collarbone in Week 4. He returned in the playoffs and picked up where he left off, but in the first half of a shootout with Central Catholic in the 6A final, he reinjured his collarbone and left the game. Tualatin lost 49-21.
So as the No. 3 Timberwolves prepare for their season opener Friday at home against No. 6 Jesuit, their priority will be protecting the 6-foot-5, 220-pound Keeney. He was initially injured in last year's 42-17 win at Jesuit.
“I bought him a bubble, so he's going to play in a bubble all season,” Tualatin coach Dom Ferraro said. “Just keeping him healthy is the biggest thing.”
Last season, Keeney completed 92 of 133 passes for 1,834 yards and 22 touchdowns with five interceptions. He also showed his athleticism by running for 384 yards and four scores.
Considering Tualatin graduated seven starters on offense and nine on defense from an 11-2 team, the Timberwolves are counting on Keeney now more than ever.
“I'm not sure what we're going to be,” Ferraro said. “Obviously we've got Nolan Keeney. I don't think there's another Nolan Keeney in the state of Oregon. We've got that to our advantage. How the rest of the team comes along with him will be an interesting ride.”
Tualatin's other three returning starters on offense are senior linemen Tanner Dunn, Luke Schwab and Aiden Kiester. The Timberwolves need a new crop of skill position players to develop quickly.
Senior Calvin Evans and sophomore Cole Hachmeister lead a stable of running backs. Senior receiver Zhaiel Smith, a transfer from Central Catholic who has committed to Idaho, is the No. 1 target for Keeney.
The receiving corps is deep and promising.
“We feel like we've got 10, 11 guys that can play if we need them to,” Ferraro said. “That's definitely something that we haven't had in my first two years here.”
Keeney and Smith (6-1, 190) have developed chemistry from playing together on Team Lillard in 7-on-7 competition. Smith is likely to draw plenty of attention from defenses, much like Jayden Fortier (now at Arizona State) did last season.
“I've got a plan for it,” Ferraro said. “It's kind of the same thing with Jayden, put him in spots where people don't think they're going to be. He basically knows our offense, every receiver spot. He's a real student of the game. It's going to allow us to move him around.”
Keeney has added about 10 pounds of muscle from last season and improved his grasp of the offense.
“I feel like he understands what he's looking at so much more,” Ferraro said. “He's taken that next step in reading coverages and understanding protections.”
Ferraro admits to holding his breath when he watched Keeney dive after loose balls last basketball season, but understands it's all part of what makes Keeney tick.
“He is the ultimate competitor,” Ferraro said. “He's not the fiery competitor you see on TV in college and NFL, but he is so even-keeled and so steady.”
Jesuit, which has won 10 consecutive Metro League titles, will provide a good test for Tualatin.
Jesuit finished 6-5 last season, falling to West Linn 59-14 in the state quarterfinals. The Crusaders return their starting quarterback in senior UC Davis-bound Trey Cleeland, who passed for 15 touchdowns and ran for four scores in 2023.
With a victory, Jesuit coach Ken Potter (351-86 in 37 seasons) can join Dewey Sullivan (352-84-2) atop the state's career wins list. The Crusaders' next two games are at Tigard and at home against Oregon City.
Other top games in Week 1:
Friday
6A No. 10 Nelson at 5A No. 1 Wilsonville, 7 p.m.: With star QB Kellen Gutridge graduated, Wilsonville coach Adam Guenther said it's a game-time decision about who will start in his place, either standout senior receiver Mark Wiepert or senior Emerson Traub, a transfer from The Dalles. The reigning 5A champion Wildcats will have their hands full with a Nelson team that features Washington-bound lineman Dominic Macon and a fourth-year starter at QB in Avirey Durdahl.
5A No. 2 Silverton (1-0) at 6A No. 9 Mountainside, 7 p.m.: Silverton, coming off an impressive 35-12 win over 5A No. 3 Summit, takes on a Mountainside team that has designs on ending Jesuit's decade-long rule in the Metro League. Mountainside junior TE/LB Sam Vyhlidal (6-4, 215) is primed for a big season.
5A No. 4 Mountain View (1-0) at Lebanon, 7 p.m.: Mountain View, last year's 5A runner-up, beat Springfield 55-20 in its opener as Jack Foley caught four touchdown passes from Mason Chambers. Lebanon is led by senior DL Isaac Jordan (eight sacks, 16 tackles for loss last season).
Lakeview at 4A No. 3 Henley, 7 p.m.: Henley won its first state title in 41 years last season, but coach Alex Stork stepped down and was replaced by Matt Green, an assistant for the last six seasons. His debut comes against Lakeview, a 3A quarterfinalist in 2023.
4A No. 2 Scappoose (1-0) at Baker, 7 p.m.: The Bulldogs, reigning Greater Oregon League champions, get a chance at payback after losing at Scappoose 54-28 last year. Baker must contend again with Scappoose senior QB Max Nowlin, who passed for 308 yards and four touchdowns in a season-opening 49-35 win over Pendleton.
3A No. 7 Santiam Christian at 3A No. 2 Banks, 7 p.m.: Banks, last year's state runner-up, has a force up front in senior Luke Bigsby (6-1, 275), the 3A co-defensive lineman of the year and first-team all-state at offensive tackle. The teams haven't met since Banks defeated Santiam Christian 10-7 in the 2022 quarterfinals.
2A No. 2 Oakland at 2A No. 1 Lowell, 7 p.m.: An early-season showdown between the last two state champions, Oakland (2022) and Lowell (2023). Lowell is led by senior RB JaMar Thurman, who scored five touchdowns in a 32-18 semifinal win over the Oakers last season. Oakland visits 2A No. 3 Weston-McEwen next week.
1A-6 No. 6 Joseph (1-0) at 1A-6 No. 3 Echo, 2 p.m.: Joseph turned back Echo 52-28 in the season opener last year, but Echo edged the Eagles 47-40 in the state championship game, overcoming a 19-0 deficit in the first quarter to capture its first title.
Saturday
6A No. 1 West Linn at Eagle, Idaho (1-0), 11 a.m.: The top-ranked Lions kick off their season out of state against Eagle, a state semifinalist last season. West Linn once again is loaded with talent, including senior QB Baird Gilroy, who threw for 3,098 yards and 29 touchdowns in leading his team to the semifinals a year ago.
