Rex Kern
Encyclopedia
Rex William Kern is a former American football
player. He played quarterback
for the Ohio State
Buckeyes
from 1968 to 1970, and played professional football in the National Football League
at defensive back
for the Baltimore Colts
and Buffalo Bills
. Kern was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
in 2007.
The son of a barber
, Kern was a star three-sport athlete for Lancaster High School, graduating in 1967. He was drafted by the Kansas City Athletics
, and was offered basketball
scholarship
s to UCLA, North Carolina
, and Ohio University
. However Kern had long sought to play basketball for Fred Taylor
of Ohio State and had fostered a relationship with Taylor that led to a scholarship offer.
During the recruiting process, he was also recruited by Woody Hayes
and committed to Ohio State to play both sports.
Kern quarterbacked the 1967 freshman team, which included 11 high school All-Americans, but suffered a back injury playing freshman basketball. Despite back surgery in June, Kern recovered in time to be named first string quarterback for the varsity football team ahead of senior Bill Long, who had quarterbacked the Buckeyes in 1967.
The 1968 team, nicknamed the "Super Sophomores," shut out the top-ranked Purdue Boilermakers
on October 12 and went on to an undefeated season, a Big Ten championship, and a berth in the 1969 Rose Bowl
. Kern was named Most Outstanding Player in the bowl as Ohio State defeated O. J. Simpson
and the USC Trojans, 27-16, and were named consensus national champions.
In 1969 the Buckeyes were expected to repeat as national champions. Kern directed a high-scoring (averaging 46 points per game) junior-dominated Buckeye offense that cruised through its first eight games. But Kern and the Buckeyes were devastated by a 24-12 loss at Michigan
, a game in which Kern threw four interceptions. Despite the loss, Ohio State finished as Big Ten co-champions with Michigan and Kern was third in balloting for the 1969 Heisman Trophy
. He was also named a first-team All-American.
The super sophomores, now seniors, rebounded in 1970 to again win the Big Ten, gaining revenge against Michigan and going to their second Rose Bowl, which they lost to Jim Plunkett
and the Stanford Indians
. Kern, captain of the 1970 team, finished fifth on the 1970 Heisman ballot.
Kern was elected to the Ohio State Varsity O Hall of Fame
in 1978, was selected to the Ohio State Football All-Century Team
in 2000, and the College Football Hall of Fame
in 2007.
by the NFL champion Baltimore Colts. Playing cornerback
and safety, he participated in all fourteen games of his rookie season of 1971, but only five in 1972 after a recurrence of his back injury. He recovered to play a full season in 1973, making two interceptions, but was traded to Buffalo, where he played 8 games in 1974 before retiring for medical reasons.
, a master's
, and a Doctor of Philosophy
in Education. He credited his success to his education, and his education to Woody Hayes, with whom he had a life-long friendship. In 2001 he created the Anne and Woody Hayes Endowment for the prevention of child abuse
to Columbus Children's Hospital.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player. He played quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the Ohio State
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
Buckeyes
Ohio State Buckeyes football
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
from 1968 to 1970, and played professional football in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
at defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
for the Baltimore Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
and Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Kern was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
2007 College Football Hall of Fame ballot
The 2007 College Football Hall of Fame ballot consisted of 75 players and 8 coaches who were voted on by more than twelve-thousand voters for inclusion into the College Football Hall of Fame...
in 2007.
College career
Kern was the leader of the so-called Super Sophomores, guiding the Buckeyes to an undefeated season and a consensus national championship in 1968. Kern and the other Super Sophomores finished their college careers with a record of 27-2. Kern was a fine passer and a dangerous runner. In the 1968, 1969 and 1970 seasons, Kern ran for 583, 524, and 597 yards respectively -- high numbers for a Big Ten quarterback.The son of a barber
Barber
A barber is someone whose occupation is to cut any type of hair, and to shave or trim the beards of men. The place of work of a barber is generally called a barbershop....
, Kern was a star three-sport athlete for Lancaster High School, graduating in 1967. He was drafted by the Kansas City Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
, and was offered basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
s to UCLA, North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
, and Ohio University
Ohio University
Ohio University is a public university located in the Midwestern United States in Athens, Ohio, situated on an campus...
. However Kern had long sought to play basketball for Fred Taylor
Fred Taylor (basketball coach)
Frederick Rankin Taylor was a college men's basketball coach for The Ohio State University from 1959 to 1976.-College career:...
of Ohio State and had fostered a relationship with Taylor that led to a scholarship offer.
During the recruiting process, he was also recruited by Woody Hayes
Woody Hayes
Wayne Woodrow "Woody" Hayes was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Denison University , Miami University , and Ohio State University , compiling a career college football record of 238–72–10.During his 28 seasons as the head coach of the Ohio...
and committed to Ohio State to play both sports.
Kern quarterbacked the 1967 freshman team, which included 11 high school All-Americans, but suffered a back injury playing freshman basketball. Despite back surgery in June, Kern recovered in time to be named first string quarterback for the varsity football team ahead of senior Bill Long, who had quarterbacked the Buckeyes in 1967.
The 1968 team, nicknamed the "Super Sophomores," shut out the top-ranked Purdue Boilermakers
Purdue Boilermakers
Boilermakers is the official nickname for the intercollegiate athletic teams of Purdue University. As is common with athletic nicknames, it is also used as colloquial designation of Purdue's students and alumni at large....
on October 12 and went on to an undefeated season, a Big Ten championship, and a berth in the 1969 Rose Bowl
Rose Bowl Game
The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...
. Kern was named Most Outstanding Player in the bowl as Ohio State defeated O. J. Simpson
O. J. Simpson
Orenthal James "O. J." Simpson , nicknamed "The Juice", is a retired American collegiate and professional football player, football broadcaster, and actor...
and the USC Trojans, 27-16, and were named consensus national champions.
In 1969 the Buckeyes were expected to repeat as national champions. Kern directed a high-scoring (averaging 46 points per game) junior-dominated Buckeye offense that cruised through its first eight games. But Kern and the Buckeyes were devastated by a 24-12 loss at Michigan
Michigan Wolverines
The Michigan Wolverines comprise 27 varsity sports teams at the University of Michigan. These teams compete in the NCAA's Division I and in the Big Ten Conference in all sports except men's ice hockey which competes in the NCAA D1 Central Collegiate Hockey Association, and women's water polo, which...
, a game in which Kern threw four interceptions. Despite the loss, Ohio State finished as Big Ten co-champions with Michigan and Kern was third in balloting for the 1969 Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
. He was also named a first-team All-American.
The super sophomores, now seniors, rebounded in 1970 to again win the Big Ten, gaining revenge against Michigan and going to their second Rose Bowl, which they lost to Jim Plunkett
Jim Plunkett
James William "Jim" Plunkett is a former American football quarterback who played college football for Stanford University, where he won the Heisman Trophy, and professionally for three National Football League teams: the New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers and Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders. ...
and the Stanford Indians
Stanford Cardinal
The Stanford Cardinal is the nickname of the athletic teams at Stanford University.-Nickname and mascot history:Following its win over Cal in the first-ever Big Game in 1892, the color cardinal was picked as the primary color of Stanford's athletic teams...
. Kern, captain of the 1970 team, finished fifth on the 1970 Heisman ballot.
Kern was elected to the Ohio State Varsity O Hall of Fame
Ohio State Varsity O Hall of Fame
The Ohio State Varsity "O" Hall of Fame is the athletic hall of fame for The Ohio State University. Its purpose is to recognize individuals who have contributed to the honor and fame of the University in the field of athletics....
in 1978, was selected to the Ohio State Football All-Century Team
Ohio State Football All-Century Team
The Ohio State Football All-Century Team was chosen in early 2000 by the Touchdown Club of Columbus. It was selected to honor the greatest Ohio State Buckeyes football players of the 20th century...
in 2000, and the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
in 2007.
Professional career
Kern was drafted in the 10th Round of the 1971 NFL DraftNFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
by the NFL champion Baltimore Colts. Playing cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
and safety, he participated in all fourteen games of his rookie season of 1971, but only five in 1972 after a recurrence of his back injury. He recovered to play a full season in 1973, making two interceptions, but was traded to Buffalo, where he played 8 games in 1974 before retiring for medical reasons.
Personal
Kern earned three degrees from Ohio State, a baccalaureateBachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
, a master's
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
, and a Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in Education. He credited his success to his education, and his education to Woody Hayes, with whom he had a life-long friendship. In 2001 he created the Anne and Woody Hayes Endowment for the prevention of child abuse
Child abuse
Child abuse is the physical, sexual, emotional mistreatment, or neglect of a child. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Children And Families define child maltreatment as any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or...
to Columbus Children's Hospital.