Former Eagle Leroy Keyes, Purdue legend, dead at 74
Leroy Keyes, a two-time consensus All-American running back and one of the greatest football players in Purdue history, but regarded as a bust as an Eagles draft pick, died Thursday. He was 74.
Keyes died at his home in West Lafayette, Ind., surrounded by his wife and children, the family said in a statement. He had been in poor health recently, suffering from congestive heart failure and a cancer recurrence. He previously had prostate cancer.
Keyes was third in the Heisman Trophy balloting in 1967 and was the runner-up to O.J. Simpson in 1968. But he wasn’t just a star at Purdue, he was an icon who excelled as a running back, defensive back and kickoff returner.
“This morning we lost a great friend and football brother, Leroy Keyes,” former Boilermakers and NFL quarterback Mark Herrmann wrote on Twitter. “He was a true Boilermaker legend, loved by all. We will miss his contagious smile and warm laugh. He joins a legion of Purdue fans and friends in heaven who can once again chant, “Give the ball to Leroy!”
After finishing his career as the school’s career leader in touchdowns (37), points (222) and all-purpose yards (3,757), the Eagles drafted Keyes with the third pick overall in 1969.
“When you talk about the greatest era of Purdue football, that’s what he was,” former Eagles wide receiver Calvin Williams, a Purdue alum and now the school’s associate athletics director, said of Keyes. “He was tremendous, a two-way player. Leroy was a big man; he was 6-3. I can’t imagine being a 6-3 defensive back, back then, and as a wide receiver having to go up against that type of athlete.
“He was a daunting figure on film and a big presence in life; just always jovial, always had good things to say about anybody and everybody. We lost a big piece of Purdue history this morning.”
Though running back rival Simpson went first overall in the 1969 NFL-AFL draft to Buffalo, the Eagles picked Keyes third ahead of such future luminaries as “Mean” Joe Greene (No. 4 to the Steelers), Penn State tight end Ted Kwalick (No. 7 to the 49ers), Fred Dryer (13th to the Giants) and Gene Washington (16th to the 49ers).
Injuries forced Keyes out of the NFL after just five seasons. He then spent 16 years as a desegregation specialist for the School District of Philadelphia.
In his four years with the Eagles, Keyes played running back, cornerback, and safety. In 1971, Keyes and All-Pro Bill Bradley formed one of the best safety duos in the game, combining for 17 interceptions.
While at Purdue, Keyes became the man all future Boilermakers stars would be measured against.
In 1987, as the program celebrated its 100th season, Keyes was selected as the Boilermakers’ greatest player. Some of his records stood for decades. Others still do.
Keyes’ averages of 6.6 yards per carry in 1967 and 5.88 over his career still top the Purdue charts. So do his 19 total touchdowns in 1967, when he was named the Big Ten’s MVP. In 1968, he became the first Purdue player to top the 1,000-yards rushing mark.
He still ranks third all-time on the Boilermakers list for total touchdowns, fifth in TDs rushing (29), sixth in points, ninth in all-purpose yards and 11th in rushing yards (2,094). He even threw eight TD passes during his career and the 1,870 all-purpose yards he compiled in 1967 were a school record for 40 years.
The player nicknamed “The Golden Mr. Do-Everything” played four seasons with the Eagles before finishing his career with the Kansas City Chiefs in 1973.
After his time with the Philadelphia school district, he returned to Purdue in 1995 as the running backs coach on Jim Colletto’s staff. After two seasons, the late
Joe Tiller made Keyes an administrative assistant for the program. In 2000, he started working with the John Purdue Club, where he remained until retiring in 2011.
Keyes was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1994 and was part of Purdue’s inaugural athletic Hall of Fame class in 1994.
Keye, a native of Newport News, Va., and is survived by his wife, Monica, and children Raymond, Jacqueline, Courtland and Colin.
The family said a “celebration” of his life is planned.