UH's Keenum Readies After Record-Breaking Debut

HOUSTON - Case Keenum has come a long way in a short time. From first-time to full-time starter at quarterback for the Houston Cougars. From no-name to among the names mention as a dark horse candidate for college footballs Oscar - the Heisman Trophy

But Keenum is not exactly all that comfortable with all the attention and all the commotion hes generating after his scintillating sophomore season.

"I cant say I like it," Keenum tells Fox 26. "I would say it's better than people hating or bashing you."

The only bashing going on with Keenum is when hes blowing up and taking down opposing defenses. He absolutely believes he can duplicate his UH debut when he racked more than 5,000 passing yards and 44 touchdowns against only 11 interceptions.

"We stop ourselves," Keenum said. "We feel like if you do everything right and even if it's not a perfectly called play, we have the talent to make it work."

Critics often point out that Keenum pulls the trigger in a less-than big bully BCS conference in an extremely stat-friendly system. But there's no denying the production--13 straight 300-yard passing games in 2008.

"He's a coach's kid and a coach on the field," UH Head Coach Kevin Sumlin said. "Hes able to read situations and make things go even when they shouldn't go. That's the mark of a good quarterback. A really good quarterback his job is not to get you into the right play but to keep you out of the wrong play."

Keenum is the pre-season favorite to repeat as the Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year. A suitable encore to his 2008 against a beefed-up non-conference schedule (Texas Tech, Oklahoma State and Mississippi State) means Keenum had best get accustomed to the white-hot individual spotlight.

"That's going to be a side-product of the season were going to have," Keenum said. "If we take care of each week, week by week, that (the accolades) is another great testament to our team and how were playing."