FFE Week 4 Player of the Week: Jaxon Keys from Blacksburg

BLACKSBURG, Va. (WDBJ) – “When you have a guy with skills who also works hard and is also competitive, I think there’s no limit to his potential on the football field,” Blacksburg football coach Zack Leonard said.

Blacksburg running back Jaxon Keys helped the Bruins win against Rockbridge County last Friday.

The sophomore reached the end zone not just once or twice, but five times.

“That was the most touchdowns I’ve ever scored in a game,” Keys said. “That was really something big for me and it was a lot of fun.”

“Honestly, I saw what I know about Jackson. His potential is endless. He runs the ball hard. He’s an energetic guy. He finishes runs physically. And I think the biggest difference was that our offense was able to execute really, really well. And honestly, we adjusted our scheme a little bit, and they still executed it very, very well. And if you give a guy like that space, he’s going to do good things,” Leonard said.

Football is in Keys’ blood.

Not only was his father a Bruin himself, but he also played college ball as a running back at Virginia Tech.

“It’s pretty cool to play here because my dad held records,” Keys said. “He still holds records at the school, so it’s like I’m trying to live up to his legacy and build his legacy.”

The list doesn’t end here.

Keys’ stepfather helped Blacksburg to a state championship, and his older brother and cousin also played in blue and yellow.

Even Keys’ mother said he was born to run.

They initially got Keys into football, but quickly realized his competitive spirit was a better fit for flag football. After that the rest is history.

“I love playing football because of my teammates, my friends and my family. I do that for them a lot,” Keys said.

And with his senior years still ahead of him, the future looks bright for this generation of Bruins.

“If you know who you have and I know Jaxon Keys. I know he is a great young man. I know he is a hard worker and a talented young man. You know, everything else is just part of the process because we know where it can go. I know he’s hungry. This will drive him even more and he will always want more success. So as long as he channels that to continue to be a positive leader, a positive role model for our team and continue to run harder as this season goes on. You know, our season starts this week, even though we’re already four weeks old, and the competition is increasing. We are excited to see how he will perform in this situation,” said Leonard.

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