Art Kehoe Biography

Art Kehoe has decided to throw in his lot with the fledging United Football League. He is getting ready for his new job as the offensive line coach under former Arizona Cardinals and Minnesota Vikings coach Denny Green with the San Francisco team of the UFL preparing for it's maiden voyage in the fall of 2009.

Coach Kehoe joined (on an interim basis) the Louisiana Tech Bulldog's coaching staff as training camp was breaking prior to the start of the 2008 season as the Interim Offensive Line coach.

Louisiana Tech's website characterized Kehoe's involvement as follows: "Offensive line guru Art Kehoe joins the staff as a fill-in replacement for Perot (the regular OL coach who was in the hospital) and the Bulldogs upset Mississippi State 22-14. 1 large "W" for Derek Dooley's program. Louisiana Tech overcame adversity, late in the game, and played well enough to beat an SEC opponent for the first time in years."

After four less than stellar seasons Ed Orgeron was let go by Ole Miss and as is common in these situations his entire staff, including Art Kehoe, was let go at the end of the 2007 season.

In early January of 2006 Art Kehoe, formerly assistant head coach and offensive line coach of the once proud Miami Hurricanes football team was hired by Mississippi to be the Rebels assistant head coach and offensive line coach.

Kehoe's hiring is already paying dividends. His unquestioned ability to get the best out of a player was demonstrated once again when offensive lineman John Jerry received Freshman All-America honors while sophomore Michael Oher was named to the All-SEC Second Team. Additionally, senior OL member Andrew Wicker signed a free-agent contract with the New York Jets.

At the announcement of Kehoe's hiring Rebels head coach Ed Orgeron had this to say: "He brings energy and great passion for football to our program. He's an outstanding recruiter and has coached some of the best lines in collegiate football." Said Kehoe: "(Orgeron) is one of the most intense, passionate guys there is, this game is all about passion. It's also nice to be wanted, and I look forward to getting to Oxford and getting started."

Art Kehoe is a rarity in the ranks of the college football coaching profession. Through the 2005 season he had logged 25 seasons as a football coach at the University of Miami. He'd still be there were it not for the tumultous 2005 Peach Bowl which the Miami Hurricanes' lost in a lopsided defeat at the hands of the LSU Tigers 40-3

Some say Larry Coker, then Miami head coach, feeling threatened for his job, decided a shakeup was in order to demonstrate who was in control. He terminated Art Kehoe as part of the fallout from the program's decline in the final years of his tenure. In any event Coker, did lose his job in 2006 following a .500 season which the Canes salvaged in the last game of the season, beating a weak Boston College team 17-14.

But as his final UM media guide bio stated, Kehoe is "The modern day Mr. Miami Football to many. Former UM offensive line coach and Cane player Art Kehoe, who has had a part in all five national championships won by the Hurricanes (is no longer a UM Hurricane).

Art Kehoe as the assistant head coach and offensive line coach at the University of Miami played a key role in the revitalization of Hurricane football. He came to Miami from Laney Junior College in 1979 starting at guard for the Cane's for two seasons under then head coach Howard Schnellenberger. In addition he was the offensive captain both the 1979 and 1980 seasons. He started two years at guard for Miami, protecting the future Buffalo Bill's and NFL Hall of Fame great QB Jim Kelly

Kehoe played an instrumental role in the rebirth of Miami football, playing on the 1979 and 1980 teams that returned UM to national status with a victory in the 1980 Peach Bowl (UM's first bowl win since 1966).

After Kehoe's playing days were over at Miami he was a student assistant football coach for one season, a graduate assistant for three seasons then in 1985 became the offensive line coach where he has been firmly entrenched going into the 2004 season.

The 2004 football season will be Kehoe's 26th season as a part of Miami football and his 24th as a Miami football coach. Kehoe is the only coach who has been in the Hurricane's football program on a continuous basis this length of time and his tenure at Miami ranks among the longest of any Miami athletics figure. In 2002 he was rewarded with the title of assistant head coach while retaining his primary responsibilities as offensive line coach.

Four Miami head coaches have come and gone during Kehoe's tenure including, Howard Schenllenberger, Jimmy Johnson, Dennis Erickson and Butch Davis. The current Hurricane's head coach is Larry Coker who became Miami's head coach prior to the 2000 season.

During his time as a football coach at the University of Miami Kehoe has been to to 21 bowl games.He has coached some of the greatest players to ever wear a Hurricane's uniform including 10 players currently in the NFL. His offensive lines have provided protection for many of the Canes' top flight quarterbacks including Bernie Kosar, Vinny Testaverde, Steve Walsh, Craig Erickson, Gino Torretta and Ken Dorsey.

His reputation as an outstanding coach secure Kehoe is gaining in stature as an outstanding recruiter as well. He recruited and coached 2002 Rimington Trophy(1)* winner Brett Romberg and recruited and coached 2001 Outland Trophy (2)** winner Bryant McKinnie.

(1)* The Rimington Trophy is named after Dave Rimington, Nebraska's nonpareil Hall of Fame center who also won consecutive Outland Trophies. Boomer Esiason, an outstanding college quarterback at the University of Maryland and an oft decorated long-time NFL quarterback with the Cincinnati Bengals, created it in 2000 to honor the outstanding NCAA Division 1-A center because there was no national award for that position.

(2)** The Outland Trophy honors the Nation's Outstanding Interior Lineman as chosen by the Football Writers Association of America.

Kehoe has been instrumental in the development of six Hurricane offensive linemen to earn first-team All-America honors: center Brett Romberg; tackles Bryant McKinnie and Joaquin Gonzalez in 2000 and 2001; guard Richard Mercier in 1999; center K.C. Jones in 1996; and tackle Leon Searcy in 1991.

Kehoe has coached 16 offensive linemen who went on to play professionally as well as 14 All-Big East players. Kehoe has been an integral part of the coaching staff which saw five of their Hurricane football teams win the college football national championship.

As amazing as some of Kehoe's offensive lines stats are a really spectacular stat is the fact that in the 2000 and 2001 seasons combined the offensive line allowed only 7, thats right just seven, quarterback sacks. Additionally Kehoe coached a pair of First-Team football All-Americas' offensive tackles. Both LT Bryant McKinnie and RT Joaquin Gonzalez were first-team All-America offensive lineman for both the 2000 and 2001 season, almost unheard of in college football.

Kehoe's offensive lines have played a key role in producing 6 of Miami's 8 thousand-yard rushers. Miami's 2000 and 2001 units have been considered among the finest offensive lines in recent college football history. The 2002 unit was considered the nation's finest by many observers.

Kehoe was inducted into the University of Miami Athletic Hall of Fame in March of 2002. He was inducted into the Laney JC Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001.

Kehoe received his Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration from Miami.

Kehoe is engaged to Diona Williams and has one son, Jake, and a step-daughter, Madison.

Some of his accomplishments are:

Hired by Mississippi January of 2006 as assistant head coach and offensive line coach
Coached Rebel OL freshman to Freshman All-America honors
Coached Mississippi sophomore to All-SEC Second Team honors
Rebels senior OL member Andrew Wicker signed a free-agent contract with the New York Jets
Played a key role in the revitalization of Hurricane football
Started at guard for the Cane's for two seasons - 79-80
Offensive captain both the 1979 and 1980 season
Offensive line coach with Miami since 1985
Only coach who has been in the Hurricane's football program on a continuous basis this length of time
Tenure at Miami ranks among the longest of any Miami athletics figure in their history
Rewarded with the title of assistant head coach - 2002
2005 football season marks Kehoe's 27th season as a part of Miami football and his 25th as a Miami football coach
Been to 21 bowl games with Miami
Coached some of the greatest players to ever wear a Hurricane's uniform including 10 players currently in the NFL
Recruited and coached 2002 Rimington Trophy(1)* winner Brett Romberg
Recruited and coached 2001 Outland Trophy (2)** winner Bryant McKinnie
Instrumental in the development of six Hurricane offensive linemen to earn first-team All-America honors
Coached 16 offensive linemen who went on to play professionally
Coached 14 All-Big East players
Offensive lines have played a key role in producing 6 of Miami's 8 thousand-yard rushers
Miami's 2000 and 2001 units considered among finest offensive lines in recent college football history
Miami's 2002 unit was considered the nation's finest by many
Integral part of coaching staff which saw five Miami teams win the college football national championship
Inducted into the University of Miami Athletic Hall of Fame in 2002
Inducted into the Laney JC Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001
Received Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration from Miami