Temple University Athletics
Senior safety Kevin Kroboth
Photo by: Mitchell Leff
Kevin Kroboth: Applying Golf to the Gridiron
11.10.11 | Football
Gameday Feature Story
by Cathy Bongiovi, Athletic Communications
Safety Kevin Kroboth grew up loving two sports-- football and golf. As a youngster, he spent countless hours with his father Ron and older brother Jeffrey learning both sports and following in their footsteps.
“My dad was on the high school golf team, and he was good,” the Nazareth, Pa., native said. “We bought a set of clubs and started going. The older I got, I started to become a decent player and started to enjoy it more. Any free time I get, I'm on the course.”
On the football field, Kroboth was always an offensive guy. A running back, he switched over to quarterback in high school. A team captain and multi-purpose athlete at Nazareth High School, Kroboth finished his prep career with 692 rushing yards and six touchdowns. He also tallied 1,125 kickoff return yards on 38 attempts with four touchdowns. A two-time All-Lehigh Valley Conference, he played in the McDonald's All-Star Classic.
Recruited as an athlete by Temple, the 6-0 lanky Owl had his first taste of defense as a true freshman in 2008.
“I was going to play receiver when I got here, but some injuries happened, and I was switched over to defense,” Kroboth said. “Ever since then, that's where I've been.”
During his first season, Kroboth played in all 12 games with one start, one of six true freshmen to play in every game. He also saw playing time with the four special teams units. While he played wide receiver for one game (at Miami), Kroboth received the starting nod in the secondary against Akron. He had his first career interception against the Zips, returning the ball 56 yards. The frosh had made a big impression, and his hard work had paid off. Kroboth was named the team's 2008 Special Teams MVP.
As a sophomore, Kroboth was a part of Temple's first bowl team in 30 years. He played in 11 games with nine starts at corner, finishing the season with 45 tackles, seven break-ups, a forced fumble, and an interception. He also returned four kickoffs for 109 yards in the win over Army, including a 33-yard return.
As a junior last fall, Kroboth worked the secondary with first-team All-MAC honoree and NFL Draft pick Jaiquawn Jarrett. He played in 11 games with six starts at strong safety while also playing on several special teams' units. Kroboth had 31 tackles, including four for a loss.
This fall as a senior, Kroboth has had to adjust to several changes. First, he and his teammates have new leadership-- a brand new coaching staff with a different style. Second, he has moved from strong safety to free safety, filling the void left by Jarrett. Some players might wince at the situation, but Kroboth has embraced it.
“I couldn't be happier. I have to thank the previous coaching staff and this coaching staff for putting me (on defense),” he said. “I feel it's where I belong. It's a blessing that they saw that I was capable of playing there.”
“Kevin is a veteran player. He's played a lot of football at Temple,” said Chuck Heater, defensive coordinator and secondary coach. “He brings leadership and a great attitude, and he's played very well for us.”
Kroboth admits the change to free safety is different.
“The style of defense we played when I played strong safety, you're more in the run box and you play that safety-linebacker role,” he explained. “When you play free safety, you're more in the middle of the field, reading the quarterback and playing the pass. It took a little adjusting, but I like free safety more.”
As a senior this fall, Kroboth has started all nine games at free safety while playing on the punt and kickoff return units. He had five solo tackles and a career-high two interceptions in the win over Villanova and led the nation in interceptions in the first week of the season.
And when he needs a break, there is always time for the links.
“I love to golf. A couple of my roommates are pretty good golfers,” said Kroboth, who lives with Brandon McManus, Pat and Sean Boyle, and Cody Booth. “We always try to get into a scramble. It's just a nice way to get away and just relax.”
With three regular-season games to go, Kroboth and his fellow seniors know the clock is ticking. They still have some goals on the list to achieve before their playing days at Temple are over.
“We had a rough loss last week, which took us out of control of our destiny to go to the MAC championship,” Kroboth said. “But we want to win our last three games as a senior class. We want the opportunity to go to a bowl game and win a bowl game which would be huge for Temple. I just want to be out on that field three or more times. It's been four years, and you don't get too many more opportunities to be around these guys.”
Throughout his career, Kroboth has applied the lessons he has learned on the golf course to his play on the football field.
“I try to just be patient and not over-think things,” he shared. “Sometimes you hit a bad shot, or in a game you might have a bad play, and you can't let that over take you or get the best of you during the game. You just have to drop it and think about the next play or the next shot. You have to be able to focus on the process and not on what happened in the past, because you have a whole game, or 17 more holes, to play.”
The kinesiology major is preparing for life after football.
“I would love to be a sports-specific trainer at a big training facility for high school and college athletes to try and help get them to the next level and have the opportunity I had to play a Division I sport,” he shared. “And maybe help train college athletes to help them get to the pros. I want to give back.”
Safety Kevin Kroboth grew up loving two sports-- football and golf. As a youngster, he spent countless hours with his father Ron and older brother Jeffrey learning both sports and following in their footsteps.
“My dad was on the high school golf team, and he was good,” the Nazareth, Pa., native said. “We bought a set of clubs and started going. The older I got, I started to become a decent player and started to enjoy it more. Any free time I get, I'm on the course.”
On the football field, Kroboth was always an offensive guy. A running back, he switched over to quarterback in high school. A team captain and multi-purpose athlete at Nazareth High School, Kroboth finished his prep career with 692 rushing yards and six touchdowns. He also tallied 1,125 kickoff return yards on 38 attempts with four touchdowns. A two-time All-Lehigh Valley Conference, he played in the McDonald's All-Star Classic.
Recruited as an athlete by Temple, the 6-0 lanky Owl had his first taste of defense as a true freshman in 2008.
“I was going to play receiver when I got here, but some injuries happened, and I was switched over to defense,” Kroboth said. “Ever since then, that's where I've been.”
During his first season, Kroboth played in all 12 games with one start, one of six true freshmen to play in every game. He also saw playing time with the four special teams units. While he played wide receiver for one game (at Miami), Kroboth received the starting nod in the secondary against Akron. He had his first career interception against the Zips, returning the ball 56 yards. The frosh had made a big impression, and his hard work had paid off. Kroboth was named the team's 2008 Special Teams MVP.
As a sophomore, Kroboth was a part of Temple's first bowl team in 30 years. He played in 11 games with nine starts at corner, finishing the season with 45 tackles, seven break-ups, a forced fumble, and an interception. He also returned four kickoffs for 109 yards in the win over Army, including a 33-yard return.
As a junior last fall, Kroboth worked the secondary with first-team All-MAC honoree and NFL Draft pick Jaiquawn Jarrett. He played in 11 games with six starts at strong safety while also playing on several special teams' units. Kroboth had 31 tackles, including four for a loss.
This fall as a senior, Kroboth has had to adjust to several changes. First, he and his teammates have new leadership-- a brand new coaching staff with a different style. Second, he has moved from strong safety to free safety, filling the void left by Jarrett. Some players might wince at the situation, but Kroboth has embraced it.
“I couldn't be happier. I have to thank the previous coaching staff and this coaching staff for putting me (on defense),” he said. “I feel it's where I belong. It's a blessing that they saw that I was capable of playing there.”
“Kevin is a veteran player. He's played a lot of football at Temple,” said Chuck Heater, defensive coordinator and secondary coach. “He brings leadership and a great attitude, and he's played very well for us.”
Kroboth admits the change to free safety is different.
“The style of defense we played when I played strong safety, you're more in the run box and you play that safety-linebacker role,” he explained. “When you play free safety, you're more in the middle of the field, reading the quarterback and playing the pass. It took a little adjusting, but I like free safety more.”
As a senior this fall, Kroboth has started all nine games at free safety while playing on the punt and kickoff return units. He had five solo tackles and a career-high two interceptions in the win over Villanova and led the nation in interceptions in the first week of the season.
And when he needs a break, there is always time for the links.
“I love to golf. A couple of my roommates are pretty good golfers,” said Kroboth, who lives with Brandon McManus, Pat and Sean Boyle, and Cody Booth. “We always try to get into a scramble. It's just a nice way to get away and just relax.”
With three regular-season games to go, Kroboth and his fellow seniors know the clock is ticking. They still have some goals on the list to achieve before their playing days at Temple are over.
“We had a rough loss last week, which took us out of control of our destiny to go to the MAC championship,” Kroboth said. “But we want to win our last three games as a senior class. We want the opportunity to go to a bowl game and win a bowl game which would be huge for Temple. I just want to be out on that field three or more times. It's been four years, and you don't get too many more opportunities to be around these guys.”
Throughout his career, Kroboth has applied the lessons he has learned on the golf course to his play on the football field.
“I try to just be patient and not over-think things,” he shared. “Sometimes you hit a bad shot, or in a game you might have a bad play, and you can't let that over take you or get the best of you during the game. You just have to drop it and think about the next play or the next shot. You have to be able to focus on the process and not on what happened in the past, because you have a whole game, or 17 more holes, to play.”
The kinesiology major is preparing for life after football.
“I would love to be a sports-specific trainer at a big training facility for high school and college athletes to try and help get them to the next level and have the opportunity I had to play a Division I sport,” he shared. “And maybe help train college athletes to help them get to the pros. I want to give back.”
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