BYU Football KR Keelan Marion Earns All-American Recognition

PROVO, Utah- With the conclusion of the college football regular season and conference championship weekend, players around the country have had at least 12 games to build their stock, and some performances have a select few earning All-American Recognition.

One of those players is BYU Cougar Keelan Marion, who was named a First Team All-American at the kick returner position by CBS Sports and 247Sports.

RELATED: Three BYU Football Players Receive First Team All-Big 12 Honors

#BYU KR Keelan Marion earns First Team All-American honor from CBS.https://t.co/ERdeQ6AF8a#BYUFootball @keelanmarion1 pic.twitter.com/ochZJ4gjjt

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) December 11, 2024

Keelan Marion’s 2024 Resume

Keelan Marion, a Uconn transfer who joined the Cougars in 2023, had only one previous kick return attempt with the Huskies. However, once arriving in Provo, Marion became BYU’s kick return specialist.

In 2023, Keelan attempted 19 kickoff returns for a total of 393 yards, averaging 21 yards per return. In his sophomore season, Marion did not log a kickoff return for a touchdown. It was a strong showing in 2023 that had Keelan ranked 11th among all Big 12 kick returners, but it is how he built on it in 2024 that allowed him to have a breakout year on special teams.

RELATED: BYU’s Kalani Sitake, Colorado’s Deion Sanders Embracing All-Big 12 Alamo Bowl

Even with one less attempt in 2024, Marion increased his average yards per return from 21 to 26.2 for a grand total of 472 yards. Marrion also put two electrifying kickoff returns for touchdowns on tape.

His first kickoff return for a touchdown was against Wyoming. Leading the Cowboys 17-7 at the break, the Cougars came out onto the field to receive the second-half kickoff. Keelan Marion caught the kick three yards deep in his own end zone and then turned on the jets. His speed combined with textbook blocking from his teammates got him all the way to Wyoming’s 35 yard line before he was even touched by a Cowboys defender. He fought through two more tackles before breaking free inside the five-yard line, giving the Cougars a 24-7 right out of the halftime gate.

103 YARDS TO THE HOUSE 🏡

Keelan Marion kicks off the second half for @BYUfootball with a BANG!#Big12FB | 📺 CBSSN pic.twitter.com/lwIQHlsSFc

— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) September 15, 2024

Marion’s second kickoff return for a touchdown came in the Cougar’s long-awaited matchup with the Utah Utes.

Utah had just scored the first touchdown of the game to take a 7-3 lead early in the second quarter. Keelan received the kickoff at the four-yard line. He made his way up the far side of the field, weaving his way through a mess of Utes and Cougars at the 20-yard line and then breaking free with nobody but the Utah kicker between him and the end zone. He stiff-armed the kicker at the Utah 40-yard line and then cruised his way in for the touchdown.

His top speed of 20.7 miles per hour on the kickoff return against Utah made it one of the fastest plays of College Football’s Week 11.

🔥 Blazing Speed: The Fastest College Football Plays of Week 11 💨 #ReelSpeed @BYUfootball, WR, Keelan Marion

96-yards and undefeated 😤 20.7 MPH @keelanmarion1 #GoCougs #BYUFootball pic.twitter.com/6084TDBLm8

— Reel Analytics (@RAanalytics) November 13, 2024

Keelan Marion finished third in the Big 12 in kick return average, but Baylor’s Jamaal Bell is the only other player in the conference with a kickoff return for a touchdown, and Marrion has two.

Other Big 12 players to join Keelan Marion on the CBS Sports/247Sports All-American list are Cam Skattebo (Arizona State, First Team Running Back), Tetairoa McMillan (Arizona, First Team Wide Receiver), Wyatt Milum (West Virginia, Offensive Line), Travis Hunter (Colorado, First Team Corner Back, First Team All-Purpose, Second Team Wide Receiver), Spencer Fano (Utah, Offensive Line), and Josh Cameron (Baylor, Punt Returner).

 

Tanner Tripp is a sports writer for KSL Sports covering all teams across the state of Utah. Follow him on X @tanner_tripp and Instagram @tanner.tripp here.

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