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QB Rex Kern (National Champion, OSU HOF, CFB HOF)

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Dispatch
College football hall of fame
Kern credits his roots
Lancaster coaches played big role in building solid foundation for his success
Tuesday, December 4, 2007 3:10 AM
By Ken Gordon


THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
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Dispatch file photo
Ohio State's Rex Kern fakes a pitch after handing off on a run play against Southern California in the 1969 Rose Bowl.


The play was called 15 Expo, and longtime Ohio State football fans might remember seeing it quite often. Quarterback Rex Kern would fake a dive handoff, pull the ball back and run around the end. The play almost always resulted in a nice gain for OSU.
Buckeyes coach Woody Hayes loved that play, but he's not who taught it to Kern. Kern learned how to fake a decade earlier on the sandlots of Lancaster.

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[FONT=arial,helvetica] Former Ohio State quarterback Rex Kern accepts his induction plaque into the College Football Hall of Fame at the National Football Foundation awards dinner in New York, Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2007. (AP Photo/Henny Ray Abrams)[/FONT]
 
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Kern savors Buckeye title
By JEFF CARROLL
Tribune Staff Writer

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The impact that football has left on Rex Kern's body is devastating.

Shoulder surgery. A complete hip replacement. Seven back surgeries.

One thing he hasn't tallied ? regrets. No time for that.


"I don't," Kern says today, "dwell on those things."

Kern, who twice finished in the top five of the voting of the Heisman Trophy, will be enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame. It has been 38 years since Kern wore an Ohio State Buckeyes jersey, but just six, he says, since he fully appreciated what he and his teammates accomplished in Columbus.

Coming out of Ohio's Lancaster High school in 1967, Kern was a heavily-recruited athlete in football, basketball and baseball. He was, in fact, drafted by the Kansas City Athletics, but eventually spurned that opportunity as well as basketball scholarship offers by heavyweights UCLA and North Carolina in order to stay home and play both football and basketball at Ohio State.
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Plenty of quarterbacks in college football history compiled better passing numbers than Kern, who threw for 19 touchdowns and 24 interceptions and just over 2,400 yards in legendary coach Woody Hayes' conservative offense. But few quarterbacks were able to lead their team to anything close to Kern's 27-2 record as a starter.

It was that, along with Kern's leadership and clutch play, that earned him the nod from the Hall.

"Words don't adequately express it," said Kern, who eventually earned both a masters and a doctorate degree from Ohio State. "It's really been an awesome experience so far. I just think it compliments our rich tradition at Ohio State and it says quite a bit about our football program and the football teams I played on. Really, the only reason I'm there is because of my teammates. They elevated me to a higher level."
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South Bend Tribune: Kern savors Buckeye title

Interview with Rex Kern

TOPIC: Woody Hayes
INTERVIEW SUBJECT : Rex Kern
FILM: BEYOND THE GRIDIRON - The Life & Times of Woody Hayes
INTERVIEWER: Alison Rostankowski
TRANSCRIPTS: Sydney Meyers

? 2002 The Duncan Group, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.
Any unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable laws.


The segments included in this interview excerpt were recorded during October 2002, as part of Beyond the Gridiron: The Life and Times of Woody Hayes. The documentary is a co-production with the Crouse Entertainment Group and WOSU-Columbus, Ohio. Rex Kern played quarterback for Ohio State (1967-1970), He also played for the Baltimore Colts (1971-1973) and the Buffalo Bills (1974).


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Why did you choose to play at Ohio State? How was OSU different from other schools at the time?

From a football standpoint, Ohio State was not, from a won-loss record they were not doing that well considering the history that Ohio State had had football-wise. But really the separation again was the academic separation, that's where I saw football or basketball giving me the platform to be successful in the classroom, or at least walking beside me giving me the support that I would need. I did need that support and I took advantage of that. Well not advantage of it, but I was recipient of those particular things that were available for us through tutoring or going to extra study sessions and those kinds of things. The separation came from the other Big Ten colleges, really the guy upstairs who was Woody. Woody was saying, "we're gonna stay with you, we're gonna make sure that you do this." And he talked about that. He talked about that to my parents. And that was music to my parent's ears, as to all parents. You want to hear a coach come into your living room and say, "we're going to make sure your son graduates because that's our responsibility. And that separated Ohio State from the other Big Ten schools and the other schools that I looked at throughout the country. And I think Coach Hayes was one of the first ones to hire a guy by the name of ah Jim Jones to be our brain coach and we called him our brain coach, and he made sure that we went to study table, that we went to class, as did all our assistant position coaches, they had to know time, grades, class schedules, and that was Woody's monitoring group. And therefore that was really the big impression made upon me that I would go to college, yes to play athletics, but I would go to college to get a degree, and I wouldn't be given a degree, but I would work and I would have every opportunity to graduate, and I did.
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Woody Hayes | Interview with Rex Kern
 
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Former OSU quarterback Kern still keeps time by Hayes
By Eddie Timanus, USA TODAY

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Enlarge AP

Rex Kern, Ohio State's quarterback for three seasons under coach Woody Hayes, will join 19 others as a member of this year's class of inductees into the College Football Hall of Fame this weekend. Kern was 27-2 as a starter and led the Buckeyes to a Rose Bowl victory.


For a lifelong Ohio State Buckeye such as Rex Kern, old habits die hard.
For one thing, the former quarterback keeps his clocks on Woody Time, 10 minutes fast. Also, the Buckeyes' archrival in Ann Arbor, Mich., is still just "the school up north."

"You couldn't swear," Kern says of his avoidance of the "M" word. "Woody wouldn't let you. He'd make you wash your mouth out."

Woody, of course, is Woody Hayes, the late, legendary Ohio State coach known for his no-nonsense style and fiery temperament. Kern, who quarterbacked the Buckeyes for three seasons, helped lead Hayes' 1968 squad to an undefeated season, Rose Bowl victory and national title. This weekend, Kern will join 15 other players and four coaches in this year's class of inductees at the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind.

Kern, 59, has plenty of stories about his alma mater. Not surprisingly, many involve Hayes, Kern's coach, mentor and, ultimately, friend. He recalls how Hayes overheard some of his new neighbors speculating on how the new Buckeyes coach would fare.

"They were saying, 'Ah, he'll probably get run out of town like the rest of them,' " Kern says. "Woody decided right then that he'd work as hard as he could. He'd start his meetings 10 minutes early so he could work that much longer than the next guy."

FIND MORE STORIES IN: Michigan | Indiana | Heisman Trophy | Buckeyes | Rose Bowl | Ann Arbor | South Bend | Ohio State University | Jim Tressel | Nancy | Doug Flutie | College Football Hall of Fame | Anne | Ah | Archie Griffin | Columbus Children | Ohio State Buckeye | Rex Kern | Deceased
His quarterbacks in particular soon learned being on time meant being early.

"We synchronized our watches with him," Kern says. "Even to this day, I set all my clocks ahead. It drives my wife crazy. She'll go, 'What time is it? The real time, not Woody Time.' "

Most fans are familiar with that image of Hayes as a strict disciplinarian. Kern says that picture is accurate but incomplete.

"Woody believed in education first," Kern says. "He preached that more than any X's and O's. Those were his three criteria. He told you if you came to the Ohio State University, you'd have an opportunity to get an education, play the best football in the country, and you'll make lifetime friends with your teammates."
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Former OSU quarterback Kern still keeps time by Hayes - USATODAY.com
 
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Kern says honor is for his teammates, too
By Rhiannon Potkey
Saturday, July 19, 2008

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Rex Kern is the only player from Ohio State being enshrined into the College Football Hall of Fame tonight in South Bend, Ind.

But if the former quarterback had his way, the stage in South Bend, Ind., would be filled with fellow Buckeyes and a few additional friends from his high school and Pee-Wee football days.

"This is a great feeling because this is something to share with all my teammates," said Kern, a Camarillo resident. "If it weren't for those guys, I wouldn't be here. We were all successful together and they kind of elevated me."

Kern joins 19 other members of the 2008 Hall of Fame Class, including Penn State head coach Joe Paterno and Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Doug Flutie.
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After his playing career, Kern returned to Ohio State to obtain his master's and doctorate degrees. In 2001, he established the Anne and Woody Hayes Endowment for the prevention of child abuse at Columbus Children's Hospital.

He remains a proud alumni, and was prepared for the stroll down memory lane this week.

"The question that always comes up is What was it like playing for Woody Hayes and what was Woody really like?' " Kern said. "That is always the one they ask, and it would take a long, long time to answer that question."
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Kern says honor is for his teammates, too : College : Ventura County Star
 
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Anonymity suits Kern just fine
LEWIS BAGLEY
Tribune Staff Writer

Former Ohio State quarterback Rex Kern stood and watched a group of young kids being put through the paces at a youth football clinic.

The clinic was part of the Enshrinement FanFest at the College Football Hall of Fame Saturday. Kern is a member of this year's class enshrined Saturday.

While Kern chatted with a friend, a young boy, wearing a South Bend Riley T-shirt, walked up and asked for his autograph.


In the late 1960s, early 1970s, this happened all the time to Kern, a football hero in Ohio. Now, this young man likely knew nothing of Rex Kern.

"I saw a guy my age on the parade route wearing a number 10 (Ohio State) jersey," Kern said, referring to his old uniform number. "I said that jersey looks a lot like the one I wore, but it's probably got Troy Smith's name on it."

Smith, Ohio State's Heisman Trophy winner in 2006, also wore No. 10.

It's indicative of the situation many college Hall of Famers find themselves in. The glory days have passed and a lot of the memories have faded.

In fact, more than just a few times when a Hall of Famer passed through the crowd, people would say "hey, there goes, uhhh, what's-his-name."

But, that's fine by Kern.

"That's the way it should be," he said. "I had my heroes growing up. I looked up to (John) Havlicek, (Jerry) Lucas, (Yogi) Berra ... Johnny Unitas ... Bart Starr.

"Those were the players I aspired to be and these kids have theirs. I had my heroes, but I looked up to the guys on my high school team. Back then, I had my mind to go to Ohio State and play basketball, then Woody (Hayes), got involved in recruiting me."

Now, Kern is in the Hall of Fame, where everyone can at least find out what made him worthy of the honor.
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South Bend Tribune: Anonymity suits Kern just fine
 
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The USAToday article mentioned herein was posted earlier in this thread.

mediaPlayer/video.slideshow.from.Oct20th.MSU.halftime.tribute

official.site

Football: Former Buckeye Rex Kern a Hall of Famer

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Rex Kern, Ohio State quarterback from 1968-1970, was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame Saturday in South Bend, Ind. With Kern as signal-caller, the Buckeyes won the 1968 National Championship, a pair of Big Ten titles and two Rose Bowls.

Kern, an All-American in 1969, was named the Most Valuable Player of Ohio State's 27-16 victory over USC in the 1969 Rose Bowl. His effort helped the Buckeyes clinch the '68 national championship.

Kern was honored for his induction by Ohio State at halftime of the 2007 Michigan State homecoming game Oct. 20 in Ohio Stadium. An audio slideshow of the ceremony is available at the link above. Also check out the recent USA Today story on Kern below.
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Rex Kern, 2008 College Football Hall of Fame inductee.



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Courtesy: Associated Press

Rex Kern was honored for his induction by Ohio State at halftime of the 2007 Michigan State home game.


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Kern to be honorary captain for Ohio St.

By Rhiannon Potkey
Saturday, September 13, 2008



Obtaining a sideline pass for the showdown between No. 1 USC and No. 5 Ohio State at the Los Angeles Coliseum isn't easy.
But Rex Kern doesn't have to worry.
The former Ohio State quarterback is serving as the honorary captain for his beloved Buckeyes today.
Ohio State coach Jim Tressel asked Kern to fill the role a little more than a year ago when he called to congratulate Kern on his recent College Football Hall of Fame induction.
"I said, I will be there,' " said Kern, a Camarillo resident. "It will be a pleasure to be in front of those guys and have a little chat with them before the game. That will be pretty doggone exciting."

Continued.......
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