admscout
- Position Linebacker
- Class Redshirt Senior
- Ht./Wt. 6-3 / 240
- Hometown Las Vegas, NV.
- Highschool Timpview HS
CAREER HONORS
2024 NFF Campbell Trophy Nominee
2024 Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award Watch List
2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl Watch List
2024 Preseason All-SEC Fourth Team (Athlon)
2024 NFF Hampshire Honor Society
2023 Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll
2020 Phil Steele All-Independent Team (2nd Team)
CAREER
Outstanding graduate transfer linebacker who is poised for a big year as a captain in the middle … Showed his leadership and instincts when he arrived in the spring of 2023 and that continued into fall camp … Suffered a season-ending triceps injury in his first game as a Vol in 2023 and missed the remainder of the year … Worked his way back and is fully healthy entering the 2024 campaign … Applied for an extension of eligibility waiver for a seventh season, which was granted prior to the 2024 Citrus Bowl … Played at BYU from 2019-22 where he was a defensive leader and a team captain … Originally signed with the Cougars as a member of the Class of 2016 as one of the top prep players in Utah …Played in 39 career games (36 at BYU, 3 at UT) with 28 starts (25 at BYU, 3 at UT)… Gathered 194 total tackles – 97 solo – with 11 tackles for loss, three sacks, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and four pass breakups during his entire collegiate career … Totaled 190 tackles – 95 solo – during his time at BYU … Graduated from BYU in December 2022 and received his master’s degree from Tennessee in May 2024 … Member of the 2024 NFF Hampshire Honor Society.
2024 – RS-SENIOR (SEVENTH YEAR)
Made his long-awaited Neyland Stadium debut in the season opener vs. Chattanooga (8/31) and had two total tackles in his first home start for the Vols … Started at linebacker and logged his 200th career tackle in win vs. #24 NC State (9/7), finishing the game with four total stops and a half TFL in the dominant defensive performance
2023 – RS-SENIOR (SIXTH YEAR)
Earned a starting role at middle linebacker for the Vols before suffering a season-ending triceps injury in the season opener … Played 29 snaps in start vs. Virginia (9/2), recording four tackles in his UT debut before the injury … Missed the final 12 games of the season but continued to serve as a captain.
2022 – RS-SENIOR (BYU)
A team captain who finished the season as the Cougars’ second-leading tackler with 62 stops – 29 solo – with four tackles for loss, a sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery … Started all 12 of the games he played in at middle linebacker … Did not play in the New Mexico Bowl vs. SMU … Had a season-high eight tackles – five solo – at Liberty (10/22) … Delivered a tackle for loss in games vs. Boise State (11/5) and Utah Tech (11/19) … Solid outing in win vs. Baylor with six tackles, including 1.5 for loss.
2021 – RS-JUNIOR (BYU)
A team captain who played and started in the first three games of the season before suffering a season-ending ACL injury during the Cougars’ 27-17 win over Arizona State (9/18) … Tallied 31 tackles – 14 solo – with 3.5 for loss and 1.5 sacks … Recorded a career-high 17 tackles (10 solo, seven assist), including a tackle-for-loss in 24-16 season-opening win over Arizona at Allegiant Stadium (9/4).
2020 – RS-SOPHOMORE (BYU)
A second team All-Independent performer in 2020, leading the BYU defense during an 11-win season culminating with a victory in the Boca Raton Bowl where he was named the defensive MVP … Played in 10 games and started eight at middle linebacker … Ranked second on the team with 72 tackles, including 35 of the solo variety … Logged nine tackles in a Boca Raton Bowl win vs. UCF, which was coached by Josh Heupel (12/20) … Also had nine tackles apiece in contests vs. Troy (9/26), Boise State (11/6), Coastal Carolina (12/5) and San Diego State (12/12).
2019 – RS-FRESHMAN (BYU)
Played in 11 games with two starts at linebacker … Totaled 25 tackles – 17 solo – with 1.5 tackles for loss, one sack and two pass breakups … Started vs. USC (9/14) and in the season opener vs. Utah (8/29) … Collected two tackles in road win at Tennessee (9/7) … Notched a season-best five tackles at UMass (11/23) … Had four tackles and a sack vs. Liberty (11/9).
2016 – FRESHMAN (BYU)
Redshirted as a true freshman in 2016 before serving a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Orlando, Florida from 2017-19.
HIGH SCHOOL
A three-star prospect out of Timpview High School in Provo for the Class of 2016 … Ranked the No. 5 overall player in Utah by Rivals and the No. 1 outside linebacker in the state … Named a Semper Fi All-American and to the Salt Lake Tribune Coaches’ All-State Class 4A Second Team in 2015 … Played strong safety in high school … Helped Timpview to an 11-2 overall and 6-0 regional record en route to an appearance in the UHSAA 4A State Football Championship game … As a senior, recorded 70 total tackles, including 51 solo stops, to go along with one sack, three fumble recoveries and one blocked field goal … Coached by Cary Whittingham.
PERSONAL
Full name is Keenan Pili … Born on May 29, 1998 … Parents are Rebecca and Wayland Pili … Married to Lindsey … Brother, Trajan, played defensive line at BYU (2013, 2016-19) … Father’s cousin, Ifo Pili, played defensive line at BYU (1997-98, 2001-03) … Served a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Orlando, Florida from 2017-19 and returned to the field in the fall of 2019 … Earned his degree in exercise science from BYU in December 2022 … Received his master’s degree in agricultural leadership, education and communication from Tennessee in May 2024 … Twitter handle is @KeenanPili7 … Instagram handle is @keenanpili7.
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