User:Keenan Mace

Former Utah Blaze Defensive End and Current Cleveland Gladiator Nose Guard Keenan Mace is an American Football Player. Keenan was born in Columbia, MO and raised in St. Louis, Mo. He is the son of Evelyn Daye and Perry Mace. He is a graduate of Beaumont High School. During his high school career the 6’4 265lb senior was named, all-state, all-city and first- team-all-conference at OG/MLB and team MVP that season, with 97 tackles, five sacks, two interceptions, five fumble recoveries and three defensive touchdowns also caught 16 passes for 251 yards and rushed 113 yards. Mace was also named Defensive Player of the year.

As a Mass Communications major at Lindenwood University a NCAA Div-2 school, Keenan decided to leave college to pursue the dream of playing for the NFL. In 2011 he played nine games with Allen Wranglers of the Indoor Football League and accumulated 43 tackles, including six sacks and one forced fumble. He later Signed with the Dallas Cowboys following the lockout, but was let go by the league after it was determined he had college eligibility remaining. Mace then signed with the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League. Mace later signed with the Utah Blaze in 2012 accumulating 18.5 tackles, 7 sacks, 9 TFL, 1 FF, 1 FR in only 11 games played from his nose guard position. Displaying a brute combination of speed, strength and athleticism Mace quickly took the league by storm. Leading one of he most feared Defensive lines in AFL history setting a single game sack record of 11 sacks in a game where Mace contributed 3 himself and also applied much pressure to help thrust his teammates into the record books.

In 2013 with the Utah Blaze Mace compiled 11.5 tackles, 5 sacks, 5.5 TFL, 2 FF, 1 FR, 1 PBU and numerous pressures in 13 games played despite taking on double teams on a regular basis and being nagged by minor injuries during the entire season. With a total of 24 games played in the AFL Mace averages .5 sacks a game showing his dominating presence on the field. At the end of the 2013 season Mace was reassigned in a dispersal process to the Cleveland Gladiators due to the Utah Blaze becoming dormant in the league.

Keenan is currently playing with the Cleveland Gladiators working to re-establish his position in the NFL.