Keith Talley was born in Indianapolis in 1964, the son of John and Janece Talley. They both instilled a competitive spirit in the household, with Keith being the third youngest of 11 children.
In 1977, his first year of competing in track and field, he was in the seventh grade with the desire of being a sprinter, but the coach decided for him to train with the hurdlers because his older brother Tracy ran the hurdles. In 1979, as a freshman at Shortridge High School, Keith won three freshman city titles: the long jump at 19-10, the 300 hurdles in 41.5 and on the 4x200 relay.
During his sophomore year in 1980, through the guidance of Coach Greg Allen convincing him to run the 110 meter high hurdles, he ran 14.42. In 1981, due to illness, his track and field competition was performed sparingly. In 1982, Talley broke the city record in the 110 meter hurdles, being the first hurdler to run under 14.0 seconds in the city meet. At the IHSAA state finals heats, Keith ran 13.84, the eighth fastest time in the nation. However, in the finals he ran 14.00 to finish runner-up to eventual pro football Hall of Famer Rod Woodson.
In 1984 and 1985, while at Southwestern Michigan Junior College, Talley won a total of seven national championships, including the long jump 27-8 in 1985 and 13.50 in the 110 meter high hurdles. In the summer of 1985, he transferred to the University of Alabama.
In 1986, at the SEC Track and Field Championships, Talley won both indoor and outdoor hurdles and long jump. (Indoor: 55 meter hurdles 7.12, long jump 25-8 and outdoor 110 meter high hurdles 13.33 wind aided - In the rounds a 13.42 SEC record and long jump 26-5 1/2.) He won the Commissioner Trophy in 1986 with the most individual points.
Keith then went on to win the NCAA Championship 110 meter high hurdles in his hometown of Indianapolis in 13.36. In the summer of 1986 at the Goodwill Games in Moscow, he won a silver medal in the high hurdles in 13.31, which was University of Alabama’s school record and was ranked third in America and fifth in the world.
In 1987, Talley won the SEC indoor 55 meter high hurdles in 7.18 and the outdoor 110 high hurdles in 13.33 and again won the Commissioner Trophy.