Former UCLA football standout returns to sidelines to be high school head coach

Alemany appointed Dennis Keyes as its new head football coach Friday.

Former UCLA football player Dennis Keyes is the new coach at Bishop Alemany High in Mission Hills, Calif. / Courtesy photo

It feels like Alemany finally got its guy.

Dennis Keyes, the longtime football coach at Campbell Hall and former UCLA standout, is the new varsity football coach at Bishop Alemany in Southern California.

"I'm excited and grateful for the opportunity. Time to get to work," Keyes told High School On SI.

Keyes, 40, will be Alemany's third head coach in as many years. Casey Clausen stepped down after seven seasons in 2024 before Aaron Huerta was hired on December 18 to take over. Huerta lasted just one season after the Warriors went 1-9 this fall.

Keyes did interview for the job after Clausen stepped down. This time around, he got the gig.

Keyes was at Campbell Hall for 10 seasons where his Vikings were 10-1 and 9-3 in 2021 and 2022, respectively. However, Keyes was collateral damage to the school's decision to discontinue the whole football program in the spring of 2024.

"I did everything I could to keep the program moving forward. I did my best," Keyes said at the time.

Keyes' latest post was at Chaminade where he was the defensive coordinator under head coach David Machuca. Chaminade finished second in the Mission League at 3-2, but finished the seasons 5-6 after a first-round exit from the CIF Southern Section Division 2 playoffs.

KEYES AS A PLAYER

Keyes is a San Fernando Valley native that prepped at Birmingham Charter High School where he was a standout defensive back. He was the Los Angeles City Section Player of the Year in 2002 before going on to start in UCLA's secondary for three years.

When Keyes signed to play for UCLA, he was the No. 14-ranked safety in the country. He went on to be UCLA's defensive MVP as a senior after compiling more than 100 tackles that season.

A LITTLE MORE ABOUT ALEMANY

Alemany's football program was flying high under Clausen, who led the Warriors to a CIF Southern Section Division 2 final in 2021 led by QB Miller Moss.

The program hasn't had a winning season since. Alemany wen 3-8 in 2022, 1-9 in 2023, 5-6 in 2024 and 1-9 in 2025 under Huerta.

Alemany is in the Angeles League with Cathedral, Paraclete, St. Paul, St. Pius, and St. Francis. The Warriors are 0-10 in the last two seasons in league play. Due to league re-alignment, Alemany could be in the Del Rey League the next two seasons.

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