Ke'aun Kinner
Career Honors: 2016: KU’s Offensive Player of the Week (Iowa State); KU’s Offensive Player of the Week (West Virginia). 2015: KU’s Offensive Player of the Week (Memphis).
Career Summary: Played in 24 contests… Started 12 matchups… Rushed 274 times… Netted 1,304 yards rushing… Tallied eight touchdowns on the ground… Averaged 4.8 yards-per-carry in his two-year Jayhawk career… Long rush of 54 yards… Caught 35 passes… Gained 326 yards receiving… Recorded a long reception of 29 yards.
2016 (Sr.): Saw action in all 12 contests… Started in seven games… Leading rusher after contributing 738 rushing yards on 140 carries… Scored three rushing touchdowns… Eclipsed 100 yards twice on the season… Totaled over 10 carries seven times… Averaged 5.3 yards-per-rush… Notched a season-high 152 yards rushing against Iowa State… Caught 19 passes for 179 yards… Grabbed a career-high seven passes for 68 yards against Texas… Rhode Island: Began his senior season rushing for a game-high 69 yards and a touchdown in KU’s victory… Ohio: Picked up his first start of the season and ran five times, netting 16 yards, while catching two passes for 13 yards against the Bobcats… at Memphis: Toted the ball a team-high 12 times for 49 yards and also caught two passes for 30 yards… at Texas Tech: KU’s leading rusher after carrying nine times for 45 yards… TCU: Rushed seven times for a gain of 36 yards… at Baylor: Totaled a team-high 15 carries for a net of 49 yards… Oklahoma State: Rushed for a season-high 145 yards on just 14 carries… Recorded a career-long 54-yard scamper against the Cowboys… at Oklahoma: Earned a start at running back and contributed 10 carries for 18 yards… at West Virginia: Earned 65 yards on 14 carries and scored KU’s only rushing touchdown of the contest… Iowa State: Eclipsed 100 yards for the second time in 2016 after a 152-yard, one touchdown performance on just 18 carries… Texas: Touched the ball 27 times, totaling 20 carries for 69 yards and a game-high-tying seven receptions for a career-high 68 yards in the victory over the Longhorns… at K-State: Carried nine times for 25 yards and caught two passes for 20 yards against the Wildcats.
2015 (Jr.): KU’s leading rusher and point scorer in 2015… Netted 566 yards on 134 carries… Scored five touchdowns and averaged 4.2 yards-per-carry… Caught 16 passes for 147 yards… Began the season with back-to-back 100-yard performances against South Dakota State (157) and Memphis (113)… Scored five rushing touchdowns in the first three games of the year… Sat atop the Big 12 Conference’s leaderboard for rushing after two games with 270 yards and three scores… South Dakota State: The Jayhawks’ primary ball carrier, started at running back and carried 27 times for 157 yards and two scores… Memphis: Toted the ball 16 times for a game-high 113 yards and a touchdown… KU’s Offensive Player of the Week after the Memphis game… at Rutgers: Scored two rushing touchdowns, netting 32 yards on 16 carries… Also posted a career-high three receptions for 49 yards against the Scarlet Knights… at Iowa State: Carried 11 times for 46 yards and caught two passes for 14 yards… Baylor: Was limited due to injury, carrying twice for six yards… Texas Tech: Rushed nine times for 23 yards and caught a career-best four passes for 20 yards… at Oklahoma State: Carried nine times for 16 yards… Oklahoma: Ran five times for a net of four yards and caught one pass for seven yards… at Texas: Returned to the lineup in a more productive role after injury and ran 13 times for 67 yards, while catching two passes for 40 yards… at TCU: Ran for a team-best 80 yards on 17 attempts, highlighted by a season-long rush of 43 yards… West Virginia: Rushed four times for 12 yards… K-State: Started in the backfield and ran five times for 17 yards.
Navarro Junior College (2013-14): Suited up for two seasons at Navarro Junior College under head coach J.J. Eckert… Earned National Junior College Athletic Assocation (NJCAA) Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2014… Also named NJCAA First Team All-America in 2014… Named the Southwest Junior College Football Conference’s Most Valuable Player in 2014… Earned a three-star ranking from Rivals.com, 247Sports.com and Scout.com… Finished his two-year career at NJC ranked third all-time in rushing yardage (1,918 yards) and ninth all-time in carries (277)… Ranked second in single-season carries and topped the single-season per game rushing average list in NJC history… Rushed for 1,696 yards and 22 touchdowns on 253 carries in 2014… Also caught 17 passes for 109 yards through the air… In his two-year career at Navarro he recorded 26 rushing touchdowns.
High School: Attended Little Elm High School where in 2012 he rushed for 946 yards on 119 carries in just four games… Tied for fifth-most all-time in Texas high school history in single-game carries when he rushed for 332 yards on 55 carries, while also scoring four touchdowns in that same game, during the 2012 season… Named the Associated Press 4A Offensive Player of the Year in 2012, while also picking up Class 4A all-state honors.
Personal: Son of Tanneka Neal… Also raised by his uncle, Estebanon Barnes… Has two sisters, Jayeida Kinner and Lyric Glenn… Has one brother, Xaiyre Glenn… Majoring in liberal arts and sciences…. Ke’aun is pronounced Key-on.