December 20, 2023

Ty Keyes named DI Football Offensive Player of the Year

Charlotte, NC - East Mississippi Quarterback Ty Keyes has been named the 2023 NJCAA DI Football Offensive Player of the Year.

Sophomore Quarterback Ty Keyes led the Lions to their first appearance in the NJCAA DI Football Championship since 2018. En route to the Championship, the No.4 Lions defeated No.1 ranked Hutchinson 27-23 in the 2023 NJCAA DI Football Semifinal. East Mississippi gave the Blue Dragons their first and only loss of the 2023 season.

Keyes, a transfer from the University of Southern Mississippi, threw for 3,350 yards and 33 touchdowns and rushed for 243 yards and 3 touchdowns this season. He finished out the 2023 season first in the nation in Completions (263), Passing Yards (3,350), and touchdowns (33), while also finishing second in the nation in Yards Per Game with 257.7.

Cade Wilkerson, EMCC Offensive Coordinator- "Ty Keyes is the ultimate competitor. He's the type of player who makes everyone around him better. When he came to EMCC this year, you could see the fire he had to be great and get back to the level he wanted to play at. Ty was such a pleasure to coach and be around every day."

Keyes had a historic season for the Lions, becoming the second East Mississippi QB to ever earn the NJCAA Offensive Player of the Year award, following 2011 recipient Bo Wallace, who led the Lions to their 2011 national championship title. Keyes also became the second Lion QB ever to throw for over 3,000 yards in a season after Lindsey Scott, who led the Lions to the 2017 NJCAA DI Football Championship title. To add to his impressive accomplishments, Keyes was the second East Mississippi QB in program history to pass for 30+ touchdown passes, following 2014 National Champion and Lion QB Chad Kelly. Keyes is also only the sixth East Mississippi Quarterback to earn NJCAA Region 23 Most Valuable Player under Head Coach Buddy Stephens.

Harry Satterwhite, EMCC Quarterbacks Coach- "Ty Keyes is an exceptional talent and person to be around. He can make plays that you can't coach. He is at his best when the moment is the biggest. Ty is a winner and a lead-by-example guy who his teammates gravitate to."

The East Mississippi Lions were selected to participate in the 2023 NJCAA Football DI Playoffs after clinching the No.4 spot in the final rankings of the regular season. After defeating Hutchinson in the Semifinal, the Lions fell to No.2 ranked Iowa Western in the 2023 NJCAA Football DI National Championship title game. The Lions' first two losses of the season were to Copiah-Lincoln (10-2) who finished the season ranked No.4 in the nation, and to Mississippi Gulf Coast (8-2) who finished the season ranked No.8 in the nation. Ty Keyes and the Lions finished with a 10-3 record on the season and as the No.2 ranked team in the nation.

The Taylorsville, MS native had offers from major NCAA Division I schools including Buffalo, East Carolina, Georgia State, Kennesaw State, Akron, Louisiana Tech, Alabama State, Alabama A&M, Stephen F. Austin, University of Tennessee-Martin, and Florida A&M. Keyes will be continuing his academic and athletic career at Lousiana Tech University next fall.

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