How The Triple-Option Transformed Navy QB Keenan Reynolds Into a Star

Reynolds dancing into the end zone and scoring a touchdown after coming off the bench in the 2013 version of the annual Army-Navy game

ANNAPOLIS, MD -- No ranking. No stars. That's what was handed to Keenan Reynolds after he finished his disappointing senior season at quarterback for Good Pasture Christian High School in Madison, Tennessee. Born in raised in the Madison area, the coaches at Good Pasture knew they had found a gem in the 5'11 dual-threat QB after he led the varsity team all the way to the TNHS State Championship Game during his junior season. As a junior, Reynolds amassed 29 total touchdowns including 20 passing, along with 9 of his scores coming on the ground. That same season Reynolds also threw for over 1,900 yards, while averaging 23.2 rushing yards per game. When high school quarterbacks put up those type of numbers (especially before their senior year) big-time college coaches take notice. At the end of Reynolds' big junior season, 2 college football programs touched base with the Tennessee prodigy, but only one would take advantage of his talents and offer him a scholarship to play quarterback. The then trendy and up and coming Vanderbilt Commodores  of the SEC were 1 of the 2 teams to recognize Reynolds' junior season performance. However it was Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo and the Midshipmen who would offer the stud in February of 2012. 

Keenan Reynolds looks to hand the ball off during a game in Louisville, KY during his time @ Good Pasture Christian School

The same day Navy offered the 5'11 QB was the same day he committed to be a Midshipman at the United States Naval Academy. Overcome with a sense of pride and emotion, Reynolds was now in prime position to take off with his dual-threat talents. After leading Good Pasture High School to its second straight state championship appearance, Reynolds was now poised to put up even bigger numbers as he entered his senior season. Unfortunately for Reynolds and Good Pasture, his numbers would regress...by a lot. During his senior season, Reynolds only passed 774 yards while throwing for only 5 touchdowns. His throwing yards dropped by a jaw-dropping 1,171 yards from the previous season. Reynolds also saw his ground game take a hit, as he ran the ball 58 times less than he had during his junior campaign. That season (2011-2012) Good pasture lost in the second round of the TNHS Playoffs, ending their state championship appearance streak. Proving to be an inconsistent quarterback who most likely underwent a fluke junior season, football offers stopped coming Reynolds' way because not only was he already committed to a school, but also his performance on the field couldn't replicate the junior season numbers college coaches were becoming accustomed to. 

In the spring of 2012, Reynolds graduated from Good Pasture and packed his bags for Annapolis, Maryland (home of the United States Naval Academy) to play football for the Navy Midshipmen and eventually serve our country. It was from then on Keenan Reynolds would transform into an offensive specimen unlike anything the Navy football program had seen since their 1963 Heisman Trophy winning QB Roger Staubach. Starting as a true freshman coming out of spring ball, head football coach Ken Niumatalolo used Navy's historic triple-option offensive scheme to give Reynolds every opportunity to duplicate what he had done during his junior season of high school ball. The triple option offense is a very complicated system that is difficult for any defense to truly handle due to the fact that there are 3 (hence, triple) different options a quarterback can choose to execute the play. The triple option forces defenses to worry about multiple running options on a single play. For the offense, the decision of who is to carry the ball – which option to use – is made during the play by the quarterback. The QB makes the decision whether to give the ball to the fullback or to keep the ball based on what the defensive end does. If the DE pinches down, the QB pulls the ball. If the DE runs straight upfield or directly at the QB then the QB gives the ball to the FB. The triple option can be complemented by fixed running plays which look like the triple option when they start but use traditional blocking, as well as play-action passing. An offensive scheme with such dual-threat options allowed Reynolds to flex his muscle at the college level because the plays fit hit pass/run skill set perfectly. 

For his starting collegiate debut in Navy's 6th game of the 2012 season, true freshman QB Reynolds was tasked with running Navy's offense against the Chippewas of Central Michigan. That game, Reynolds threw for 3 touchdown passes on 134 yards (keep in mind, this is an option offense) and ran for 54 yards totaling 188 yards of total offense. His performance in his debut solidified his starting spot over on again, off again senior QB Trey Miller, who he was battling in spring ball for the starting quarterback role. Over the course of the next 7 games of the 2012 season Reynolds took advantage of his new starting role throwing for 898 yards and 5 touchdowns. Though the passing numbers at the end of the season may not be up to standard for a starting QB at the Division 1 FBS level, Reynolds would follow up his freshman campaign over the next 2 seasons. With now a half of a season of starting QB under his belt, Reynolds used his experience during the 2012 season to boost his numbers within Navy's quick hitting triple option offense. In the 2013 and 2014 seasons, Reynolds combined for 4,437 yards of total offense alone, mounting 2,537 of those yards on the ground with 1,900 coming through the air. Having running back numbers at the QB position along with throwing for over 1,500 yards is what Keenan Reynolds has become known for now here in the 2015 season, his last year as a Midshipman. His break out game came in 2013 during the famous Army-Navy rivalry in which the winner earns bragging rights and the Commander in Chief Trophy. That game Reynolds ran for 136 yards and scored 3 touchdowns to lead the Midshipmen to a 34-7 victory. Reynolds scored on runs of 47 yards, 11 yards and 1 yard. Giving him then 29 rushing touchdowns and breaking the single-season mark for a quarterback previously held by Ricky Dobbs (Navy, 2009) and Collin Klein (Kansas State, 2011), both of whom had 27.

In snowy conditions at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field, #19 Keenan Reynolds torches the Black Knight defense for a 43 yard TD run during the 2013 Army-Navy game. This was just 1 of the 31 touchdowns Reynolds compiled during his sophomore campaign.

After breaking a single-season touchdown record, Reynolds was now officially on watch for any future Heisman poll, and that still reigns true today as for several weeks during the 2015 season, ESPN and the Nissan Heisman House had Reynolds on the ballot for a trip to New York. This season, Reynolds has led Navy into their first season in the American Athletic Conference and their first ranking in the AP Poll since 2004 including a victory over the #15 Memphis Tigers who had previously beat an overbearing Ole Miss Rebel team. Though he's not on this years final Heisman ballot, Reynolds sure has come a long way from his ugly senior season at Good Pasture High School. Many at Navy and around the country say that Reynolds is the best quarterback to play for the Midshipmen since Roger Staubach and his numbers this season back that up. With 1,093 rushing yards including 19 TD's on the ground, along with 964 passing yards and 6 TD's, Reynolds has completed his third straight regular season with 23 combined touchdowns alone...and there's still this year's installment of the Army-Navy game left to be played...along with a bowl game. 

If you're interested in seeing the most versatile quarterback in college football, tune in to CBS this Saturday at 3:30 ET as Reynolds and the 21st ranked Navy Midshipmen take on their bitter rival Army in the battle for the Commander in Chief Trophy.