Isaiah Hayse and Kevin Smithwick: On Balancing Football, Family, and the Future

For Temple University's Isaiah Hayse and Kevin Smithwick, balance is the name of the game. Between football, academics, marriage, and in Kevin's case, past military service, both players have taken very different paths to North Broad, but they've landed in the same place where they both feel focused, grateful, and ready for what's next.

When long snapper Isaiah Hayse entered the transfer portal last December, his goal was simple – find a place to play one more year of college football while earning his master's degree.

"I entered the transfer portal from the NAIA, which is a little bit of the Wild West," Hayse laughed. "There's not really a formal system. You just say, 'Hey, I'm open to a fifth year,' and see who reaches out."

That's when Temple special teams analyst Coach John Fisher contacted him. At first, the timeline didn't align – the Owls were looking for a December transfer, but Hayse wanted to finish his undergraduate degree at Indiana Wesleyan. Months later, when Temple's original transfer target fell through, the staff circled back.

"I took my visit in April and was sold the second I got here," Hayse said. "The coaches, the facilities. It just felt like where I was supposed to be."

Still, the decision wasn't just his. Hayse is married to Ailee, a first-grade teacher whom he met during his freshman year of undergrad at Indiana Wesleyan.

"When I told her where it was, she said, 'Absolutely not,'" Hayse joked. "But once we visited and saw where we'd live, she came around. I wanted to make sure she felt safe and comfortable – it wasn't just about me playing football anymore."

Now pursuing his master's in Sport Business, Hayse says life as a married student-athlete looks a lot different than it did in undergrad.

"I make a joke with the specialists that I can come here and act immature for a few hours, then go home and do adult things," he said with a smile. "It's definitely different, but I love it. I wouldn't ever change how it is now. I get to go home and spend time with my best friend every day."

While Hayse came to Temple by way of small-college football, offensive lineman Kevin Smithwick arrived through a very different route – the United States Marine Corps.

"I got out of the Marine Corps on July 16, got married on July 24, and started camp August 1," Smithwick said. "It was a wild few weeks, but the decision just made sense in the moment."

Smithwick met his wife, Jillian, in middle school. The two started dating in tenth grade, spent years apart during his deployments, and now live in Philadelphia – finally able to share a routine that doesn't involve oceans and time zones.

"She's just happy I'm back every night," he said. "When I was deployed, we didn't always get that. Now, even if it's just dinner after practice, it matters."

Jillian works as a math interventionist, supporting students who need extra help – a role Smithwick says mirrors her support at home.

"Without her, I wouldn't be able to do this," he said. "She works hard so I can keep chasing this dream. Sometimes I tell the guys, 'Can't hang out today. Gotta hang out with the person who actually loves me.'"

Smithwick's time in the military taught him discipline, leadership, and structure – skills he now brings to the field and classroom. A Fox School of Business student, he plans to pursue coaching after graduation and will begin an internship with the Temple coaching staff next semester.

"I want to coach," he said. "I've been talking to the staff here, and I love learning from them. Hopefully, something opens up, but either way, I know I'm in the right place."

Though their journeys to Temple look very different, Hayse and Smithwick share a sense of perspective that comes from experience both in life and in football. Both credit their wives, both teachers, for keeping them grounded through the challenges of school and sport.

"If you'd asked me a year ago, I'd have said I wanted to work in agriculture sales," Hayse said. "Now? Maybe sports, maybe supplements, maybe something bigger. Why not pursue it?"

Smithwick echoes the same forward focus. "Four years later, Philly still makes sense," he said. "Temple gave me a chance to chase football, and that's something I'll never take for granted."

At Temple, both players have found more than a team. They've found a balance between ambition and home and a reminder that football is just one part of a much bigger picture.

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Isaiah Hayse and Kevin Smithwick: On Balancing Football, Family, and the Future

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