Omaha Athletics

University of Nebraska at Omaha head football coach Pat Behrns said today that Aaron Keen, the head coach at NCAA Division III Illinois College, will join the coaching staff as the offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach.

He replaces Terrence Samuel, who resigned in February to accept an assistant coaching position at North Dakota State University.

“Aaron will be a great addition to our staff,” Behrns said. “He has a thorough understanding of all of the operations of a college football program and also a great background in coaching, particularly on the offensive side.”

Keen has been the head coach at Illinois College for five seasons, since 2003, compiling a record of 23-27. He is a native of Cheyenne, Wyo., and a 1994 graduate of Washington (Mo.) University. He earned a master of secondary education degree from the University of Missouri in 1997.

As a player at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo., he was a three-year starting quarterback and set 12 school and conference records and was an honorable mention All-American twice. He also was the school’s first football player to receive an NCAA Post Graduate Scholarship.

He was an assistant coach at Washington from 1994-2002, coaching tight ends and tackles in 1994, linebackers and special teams from 1995-98 and was the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach from 1999-2002.

At Illinois College, he led the team to a pair of six-win seasons and produced 51 all-conference players while overseeing its growth from just 60 players to over 100. In 2007, Illinois College went 4-6, losing four games by a touchdown or less and averaged 382.8 yards in total offense.

Keen will also serve as a Health, Physical Education and Recreation instructor at UNO