 Keen started his coaching career in 1924 as a high school football coach in Frederick, Oklahoma where he earned $175 a month for teaching social studies and coaching football, basketball, baseball, and wrestling; Mildred also taught at Frederick.Keen's 1925 team outscored opponents 355 to 3.Fielding Yost hired Keen for an annual salary of $3,000 on the recommendation of his football coach, John Maulbetsch.