Aaron Keen

Illinois College, a Division III school like Washington University, competed in the Midwest Conference. Keen retained much of Rowland's staff; one noteworthy hire was defensive coordinator Jim Ryan, who had held the same position at Colorado College.[9] In five seasons Keen compiled an overall record of 23–27; the team's best finish was 4th in conference play in 2004 and 2006. Keen departed Illinois after the 2008 season to become offensive coordinator at the University of Nebraska Omaha, replacing Terrence Samuel. His replacement at Illinois was Garrett Campbell, formerly offensive coordinator at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin.[10]

The University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO), under long-time head coach Pat Behrns, was coming off three consecutive appearances in the NCAA Division II Football Championship, making it to the second round each time. After the 2007 season the school changed conferences, moving from the North Central Conference to the more competitive Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA).[11] The move to UNO reunited him with Brad McCaslin, who had been on the staff there since 1997 and defensive coordinator from 2005.[2] Keen and McCaslin found themselves suddenly out of a job in the spring of 2011 when UNO decided to transition to NCAA Division I and join the Summit League. As part of this change, UNO dropped football and wrestling.[12]

Keen landed on his feet, taking over as offensive coordinator at Minnesota State University, Mankato in Mankato, Minnesota, under head coach Todd Hoffner. Minnesota State competed in the NCAA Division II Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. Keen found himself thrust into an unusual and difficult situation in 2012, when Hoffner was charged with possessing child pornography and suspended from his duties. Hoffner was eventually exonerated and returned to his position for the 2014 season, but Keen acted as head coach for the 2012 and 2013 seasons.[13]

In his first season Keen led Minnesota State to a 13–1 record and an appearance in the NCAA Division II Football Championship, making it all the way to the semifinals. Minnesota State changed his title from "acting" to "interim" head coach.[14] In 2013 Minnesota State went 11–1, again winning its conference and earning a place in the championship, though it lost in the second round. Minnesota State reinstated Hoffner in early 2014, leading to a brief revolt by the players who objected to the supersession of Keen.[15] Hoffner met with the players and the question of his return was resolved amicably, but Keen departed two weeks later to become the special teams coordinator and tight ends coach at Eastern Michigan University.[16][13]

The move to Eastern Michigan again reunited him with McCaslin, who had followed new head coach Chris Creighton from Drake University after the 2013 season. Eastern Michigan, located in Ypsilanti, Michigan, competed in the Mid-American Conference of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision.[2] Eastern's defense struggled, and McCaslin was fired after the 2015 season.[17] Creighton promoted to Keen to offensive coordinator in 2017 after Kalen DeBoer departed to become offensive coordinator at Fresno State.[18] Keen's tenure at Eastern Michigan was successful, and after the 2019 season he departed to become a head coach again–at Washington University, his alma mater.[19]

At Washington University, Keen's former head coach Larry Kindbom was retiring after 31 years. The two men had remained close; when John Keen died in 2019 Kindbom took on the job of communicating the news to Aaron and John's former teammates.[20][19] Washington University now competed as an affiliate member of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, still within Division III. The COVID-19 pandemic led to Washington University suspending fall sports for the 2020 year, delaying Keen's coaching debut there.[21]