Nazareth’s Keeler brothers poised to embark on Power 5 careers

January was very busy in the Keeler household, with brothers and former Nazareth stars Matt and Ryan getting in a few last workouts together before heading off to begin their Power Five football careers.

Ryan, a defensive end who committed to Rutgers in August, has long known his destination. But Matt, an offensive tackle two years older than his brother, did not finalize his college choice till just days ago.

“We’re all very happy for him,” Ryan said. “It’s been a long time coming.”

Indeed. Matt started for the Roadrunners in state championship games in 2017 and ‘18. But for whatever reason he didn’t generate the same recruiting buzz as his younger brother, who had five Big Ten offers before his junior season and more than 30 when he committed.

Matt had a few FCS offers out of high school, but wasn’t willing to settle.

“I thought higher of myself,” he said.

So did Nazareth coach Tim Racki, who saw what college coaches didn’t: Matt’s relentless work ethic.

“He was under-recruited in high school,” Racki said. “The knock on him when everybody came to watch him work out was his feet. He skipped rope, I think, 365 days (to improve).”

Matt’s original intent was to go to a junior college out of high school in hopes of getting better offers. But he eventually decided to go to the prep school route at St. Thomas More in Connecticut.

“I didn’t have the best experience there,” Matt said. “It didn’t work out the way I wanted it to. I played at 265 (pounds) and I couldn’t get the film I wanted to at that weight.”

So he did try the juco route after all, heading to Coffeyville, Kansas. But Kansas junior colleges canceled their 2020 season because of COVID.

“It was really hard,” Matt said. “I got a lot of criticism. People told me I shouldn’t have gone the juco route, that (it) was stupid.”

But Coffeyville was allowed to practice and to play three scrimmages.

“It was a game called a scrimmage,” Matt said. “Everyone wanted film.”

Provided

This time, recruiters took notice, in particular Texas Tech. They noticed a 6-foot-6, 295-pounder with noticeably more upside than the kid who left Nazareth two years earlier.

“Senior year, I entered the season at 315,” Matt said. “I was 323 after the state (championship) game. That wasn’t good for me. I needed to be more mobile and more fit.”

Now he is, and he’s heading to a Big 12 program that likes to throw the ball — a good fit for a lineman who prides himself on his pass blocking.

“It’s extremely rewarding,” Matt said.

Surprising too. “If you’d told me this three years ago, I’d say you’re crazy.”

He can’t wait to get on the field for a real game for the first time in two years. Neither can his brother, who never imagined his last high school game would be Nazareth’s loss to Mount Carmel in the 2019 Class 7A championship.

With prep football sidelined indefinitely in Illinois by COVID-19, Ryan left Nazareth and enrolled in a remote learning curriculum in order to graduate early and head to Rutgers for spring practice.

He’s counting the days till August and the chance to be back on the field for something other than practice.

“That moment will be surreal,” Ryan said. “I’ve been working toward that moment my whole entire life. ... Just the feeling of being out there, all the fans cheering — I think about that literally every day.”

So does his brother.