Related Links: Keyes and Griese talk Purdue (11-20-2020) | Gold and Black Biography: Leroy Keyes (2014)

Leroy Keyes, arguably the greatest football player in Purdue history, has passed away.

He had been in ill health, suffering from a recurrence of cancer and congestive heart failure over the past several months. He had spent much of the past couple of months in an Indianapolis hospital. Keyes had been under hospice care.

Keyes passed away at 5:17 a.m. ET on Thursday in his home in West Lafayette. He was 74. He is survived by his wife Monica and children Colin, Raymond, Jacqueline and Courtland.

The Keyes' family released this statement this morning.

"The Keyes family is saddened to announce the passing of Purdue’s Athlete of the Century, Leroy Keyes. He passed peacefully at home this morning at 5:17 a.m. local time surrounded by his wife and children.

"Celebration of Life arrangements will be forthcoming. Your thoughts, prayers and condolences are felt and truly appreciated. We thank you for respecting our privacy during this difficult time."

Born on Feb. 18, 1947, Keyes grew up in Newport News, Va., before matriculating to Purdue in 1965 to play for Jack Mollenkopf. It was the beginning of what would become an iconic Boilermaker career. During a centennial celebration of Purdue football in 1987, Keyes was voted the program's best football player of all-time. He later was voted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1990.

Freshmen we unable to play in Keyes' era, but he made a splashy debut as a sophomore in 1966 in what was a golden age for Boilermaker football. That year playing mostly defense, Keyes helped the Boilermakers win the program's one and only Rose Bowl.

The next two seasons, Keyes became one of the best players in America. Cries of "Give the ball to Leroy!" echoed through Ross-Ade Stadium on Saturday afternoons, as Keyes earned national attention as a two-way player who also ran back kicks. He did it all.

Keyes earned All-American honors in 1967 and 1968 as a junior and senior. In 1967, he finished third in Heisman voting; Keyes was runner-up for the award in 1968. Keyes' teams went 25-6 overall in his three seasons and 17-4 in the Big Ten with top 10 finishes each season.

The 6-3, 208-pound Keyes led the nation in scoring as a junior and ran for 1,003 yards as a senior. He was the No. 3 overall pick in the 1969 NFL by the Eagles.

Keyes returned to Purdue as an assistant coach under Jim Colletto in the 1990s and worked for the university in various capacities since.

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