SHADYSIDE – Tom Keane harbors hopes of being a head football coach.

Those aspirations were greatly bolstered recently for the former Shadyside High grid standout when he landed an assistant’s position with the University of Massachusetts. He will serve as special teams and quality control coach for the Minutemen.

UMass is a NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision institution. The Minutemen currently compete as an independent.

Keane heads to the northeast fresh off a one year stint at West Virginia Wesleyan. He was in charge of the Bobcats’ H-backs, tight ends and special teams.

“I loved my team at Wesleyan but this was just too good an opportunity to pass up. UMass is a good program on the way up,” Keane said. “Coach (Mark) Whipple does a great job. He has won a national title at UMass. He knows how to win.”

After picking up his Shadyside diploma, Keane continued his academic and grid careers at D-III powerhouse Washington & Jefferson. During that time, the Presidents compiled an impressive 40-7 record with three trips to the NCAA Division III playoffs.

After graduation, he opted to work in the business world before catching the football coaching bug.

Since then it has been a meteoric rise up the coaching ladder.

Keane cut his coaching teeth at a Florida high school as a receivers coach. That prep gig propelled him to an assistant’s job at Colgate University in New York. He helped the Raiders to a Patriot League championship and a berth in the FCS national quarterfinals.

Keane left Colgate after one season, taking the tight ends and special teams job at Florida Atlantic University.

The 33-year-old has only been on the UMass campus a few days getting up to speed with the Minutemen program.

“I am getting accustomed to football operations. We are also holding team camps,” Keane said. “With this position I will be doing film work, game planning, scouting and a lot of behind-the scenes work.

“We are expected to have a good season and we have a real nice schedule,” he said. “We play Georgia and Boston College. We also go to Ohio University. That game will be nice as it gives my family back home a chance to see me coach.”

Keane comes from tremendous football stock. His grandfather, also named Tom Keane, was a former star at Linsly, WVU and Ohio State before enjoying a successful NFL career. He went on to serve as Wheeling Ironmen head coach before becoming an assistant coach for 20-plus years for Don Shula’s Miami Dolphins, winning two Super Bowl titles. He is an OVAC and WVU Hall of Famer.

Moreover, his great uncle Jim Keane starred in the NFL for seven seasons with the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers. He hauled in a NFL-leading 64 passes in 1947 for the Bears.

“My goals are to to be a head coach at the highest level possible. I have a long way to go. It is just a step at a time,” Keane noted. “I want to continue to learn as much as possible, become a coordinator and keep expanding my network.”

Keane is also a highly regarded clinician. Among his many presentations include Bryan Nardo’s Ohio Valley Football Clinic. Nardo is a Shadyside native and current defensive coordinator at D-II power Emporia State.

Keane will not be the lone Ohio Valley native at UMass this season. Former Weirton Madonna star Ross Comis is a redshirt senior quarterback for the Minutemen.

UMass launches its 2018 season on Aug. 25 against Duquesne.