Nov. 15, 2017
By Jake Wright
AuburnTigers.com
AUBURN, Ala. - In 2016, senior Keenan Sweeney watched the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry game from the stands in his home state of Georgia. Just 365 days later, he was on the field when Auburn beat Georgia 40-17, a moment Sweeney will never forget.
"The win against Georgia was my favorite memory during my time at Auburn," Sweeney said. "There is no doubt about it. You could say LSU last year with the last-second contested play was a big win. But the Georgia win, for me, personally knowing that we haven't beaten Georgia since I have been here and that we have been so disappointed and let down -- it was awesome to blow them out. That was awesome. It was surreal to get to play. A year ago, I was in the stands watching this game and now I'm playing in it."
In high school, ironically, Sweeney thought he would attend Georgia. He applied to only two schools out of Brookwood High in Snellville -- Auburn and Georgia. His brothers went to Georgia, and because they have a strong family bond, he wanted to be with them. Keenan found out at his brother's graduation that he'd been accepted, but would have to wait a semester until the spring of 2015 to enroll. At that point, Sweeney decided on Auburn; it ended up being the perfect place for him.
"Auburn was an opportunity for me. This is the school that really gave me a chance to develop not only as a player, but also as a student," Sweeney said. "There is no doubt about it -- this university has prepared me for my future."
Sweeney started his football career as a walk-on at Auburn, knowing he had to earn his spot on the team. He saw his first game action against Arkansas State in 2016.
"It was the first time that I had taken a snap in three or four years. I remember when I got the call to go out there. It happened so fast, but I remember it. I remember what happened and what play it was. It was a counter-play and I hit my guy as hard as I could," he said. "It was one of those moments where I walked off the field and I started crying because it meant something to me."
In the fall of 2017, his hard work paid off as he was rewarded with a scholarship. Sweeney felt, however, like he needed to contribute more. Whether that involved pushing other players in workouts or being a great teammate, he was focused on being a positive asset to Auburn's program.
After his days on the Plains, Sweeney aspires to be a doctor. He has not decided what his specialty will be, but orthopedics, cardiovascular and neurosurgery are three paths that interest him.
The SEC Academic Honor Roll student has taken a number of pre-med classes such as biochemistry and organic chemistry, but he thinks his hardest class is cell biology.
"It is so cool how the smallest unit of our body has so much stuff going on in it. It is just fascinating," he said. "You have transport within the cell and cell structure. If any of those things aren't on their game, then the cell dies. If it dies, then there could be a mutation throughout the body that could lead to death. There are still things that we haven't found out about our bodies. I think that is just so awesome."
Sweeney has been a part of a team for most of his life. He has always been a team player, and he hopes to continue that teamwork in the medical field.
Sweeney's friends and specifically family have been a major reason why he has been able to achieve so much, and also a big reason why he has such sizable goals. He has a big family with six siblings, five of whom have competed in athletics in the SEC.
The others were collegiate swimmers, a sport in which Sweeney also participated. The family nickname in their hometown was the Seven Swimming Sweeneys. His body type was more suitable for football over swimming, so he was the only family member to pursue action on the gridiron.
The Auburn experience has been a blessing for Sweeney and to play in the Georgia win meant the world to him. The memories made at Auburn will be some he will never forget, and he hopes to make an impact on countless others in his career.
His education in the College of Science and Mathematics at Auburn has provided the foundation to accomplish this goal.
"I am grateful for the opportunity to play here. The friends I've made here and the guys I have met have been unbelievable. It has been a fun experience," Sweeney said. "There is no question that I am happy with my time at Auburn. I worked really hard to get what I have earned. To earn two scholarships is indescribable. It is such a blessing to be a part of this team and university."
Jake Wright is a student assistant in Auburn athletics communications