East St. Louis grad Keontez Lewis reviving his football career at SIU Carbondale
The decision to enter the transfer portal early in the 2023 college football season was risky for Keontez Lewis in many ways.
The receiver from East St. Louis was conceding the majority of the season after seeing his role at Wisconsin dwindle under a new coaching staff. Lewis also was unsure at the time if he would be able to play in 2024 because he previously had transferred from UCLA and the status of two-time transfers had yet to be determined.
"I kind of stood firm on my decision," he said. "You can't be in between the lines on a decision like that. You have to be all in. I knew it was going to be hard digging my way out of that and was up for the challenge. Now I'm trying to benefit."
Lewis decided days before the start of the 2023 spring semester to play for Southern Illinois-Carbondale, allowing him to participate in spring drills ahead of his first season with the Salukis.
He needed some time to re-adjust to game conditions, but last week showed the home crowd what he can do playing a full game. Lewis had eight catches for 148 yards and a touchdown and scored on a 57-yard run in SIUC's win over Incarnate Word.
The Salukis are up to No. 7 this week in the Football Championship Subdivision rankings after beating previously No. 12 IWA. This week they host No. 21 Southeast Missouri State at 6 p.m. Saturday.
Lewis played only the first half of the first two games against BYU and Austin Peay due to cramps. He attributed that to having not played in a game in a year.
"Everything I did in the first two games was in the first half, so I knew everything would get going when I got whole games under my belt," he said. "I feel like I'm there now. It was not conditioning but my body getting used to the load. I've always run track and was a guy who could run all day. After halftime my body was thinking I was done and tensing up. Now I get on a bike at half to keep moving so I don't shut down."
Lewis was shut down for a considerable time after deciding in mid-September of 2023 to leave Wisconsin. After starting the previous season, he found himself with virtually no playing time.
He started his college career at UCLA in 2021 before joining the Badgers. He had 20 catches for 313 yards and three touchdowns in '22, but a revamping of the receiving corps by new coach Luke Fickell left him frustrated.
Having a big game for SIUC was a boost he needed and one the coaching staff was excited to see.
"On the reverse to K-Lew, I think everyone in the stands saw how fast he is," SIUC coach Nick Hill said. "That's what I've said the last two games. He didn't play any snaps in the second half because he was cramping. So, it was nice to have him for four quarters."
Hill was the first coach to offer Lewis a scholarship in high school. He attended a camp in Carbondale and left with an offer. But over the next couple of years, the attention came from bigger programs.
He had to go to the West Coast and then north before playing in his home state and getting the opportunity he felt he deserved. But Lewis doesn't regret the path he took.
"I got a benefit from both of my past schools," he said. "Being around guys that are in the (NFL) and knowing what it takes to get there and the amount of work it took. It's one thing to live it and learn, but when you take it with you is when you learn from your past."
When Lewis left the Badgers, he spent the season working out in Madison. It wasn't the same as practicing with contact with a team, but he felt he emerged in pretty good condition.
Lewis made visits to Connecticut, where another former Wisconsin player transferred, and Western Kentucky. He wanted to play in the Football Bowl Subdivision. But something attracted him to SIUC, and it helped that he could transfer more credits to the school than some other places.
A little nudge from SIUC cornerbacks coach Terry Hawthorne, who is also from East St. Louis, helped move things along.
"The level of competition has surprised me," Lewis said. "It's not that big of a difference at the skill positions. It's good because I'm getting the same kind of work in and people at this level are good."
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