University of Houston Athletics
Houston to Retire No. 7 to Honor Keenum and Klingler
10/19/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
HOUSTON -- Following the 2016 season, no members of the Houston Football program will wear No. 7 as the number will be retired on Oct. 29 to honor Houston quarterback greats Case Keenum and David Klingler.
 | Houston Football Mini-Plans | Single Game Tickets | 2016 Schedule |
Keenum ended his collegiate career in 2011, leading Houston to a 13-1 record and a win over Penn State in the TicketCity Bowl while winning the Sammy Baugh Trophy for a second time after claiming the honor in 2009. A finalist for the Davey O'Brien Award both years, Keenum earned Second Team All-America honors from CBSSports.com and Walter Camp in 2009 while earning Honorable Mention All-America honors from Sports Illustrated in 2011.
Named Conference USA's MVP in 2009 and 2011, Keenum was also named the league's Offensive Player of the Year in 2008 and its Freshman of the Year in 2007. He was the NCAA's leader in total offense in 2008 (403.2 yards per game), 2009 (416.4) and 2011 (404.7), leading Houston to the nation's best in total offense in 2009 (563.4) and 2011 (599.1). Led by Keenum, Houston also led in the nation in scoring and passing offense in both 2009 and 2011.
Currently the starting quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams, Keenum owns 17 NCAA records, including total offense in a career (20,114 yards), career touchdown passes (155), career 300-yard passing games (39), career passing yards (19,217) and career pass completions (1,546). He is the winningest quarterback in Houston history with 37 wins in 51 starts.
Not to be outdone, Klingler owns 15 NCAA records, most notably for passing touchdowns in a single game with 11 vs. Eastern Washington on Nov. 17, 1990. It was one of five career games for Klingler with at least seven touchdown passes. One of those games, 1991 vs. Louisiana Tech, saw Klingler throw an NCAA-record eight touchdowns in a single quarter, the second quarter.
Klingler also owns the NCAA record for average passing yards per game as he averaged 467.3 passing yards per game in 1990, a season in which he would win the Sammy Baugh Trophy. Also a finalist for the Davey O'Brien Award that same year, Klingler was named the 1990 Southwest Conference Offensive Player of the Year and was a Third-Team Associated Press All-American.
Klingler was the 1990 NCAA individual champion in total offense with an NCAA-record average of 474.6 yards per game en route to leading Houston to the team championship in total offense (586.8), passing offense (473.9) and scoring (46.5).
The sixth overall pick in the 1992 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals, Klingler spent six seasons on the professional level, four with the Bengals and two with the Oakland Raiders. After earning a master's degree in theology and a Ph.D. in Old Testament studies from Dallas Theological Seminary, Klingler now serves as an associate professor of Bible Exposition at DTS.
The two are eligible for jersey retirement having met at least two of the Houston Football retired jersey stipulations listed below.
- Inducted into College Football Hall of Fame
- Major National Award Winner
- Consensus All-American
- Conference Most Valuable Player/Player of the Year
- Three-time All-Conference First Team member
- Hold at least 5 NCAA Records for at least 10 years
No. 7 is the third jersey to be retired by the Houston Football program, joining No. 11 worn by 1989 Heisman Trophy winner Andre Ware and No. 78 worn by 1976 Lombardi Award winner Wilson Whitley. Both Ware and Whitley are members of the College Football Hall of Fame.
True freshman receiver Marquez Stevenson and cornerback Patrick Rosette will be the last players to wear No. 7 and will switch jersey numbers following the 2016 season.
| Join Cougar Pride |
2016 SINGLE GAME TICKETS
Houston fans interested in purchasing single-game tickets starting at just $22 can do so at the following link. Single-game tickets for two of Houston's three remaining home games are available with tickets to the Nov. 17 showdown vs. Louisville sold out.
