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What is it about offensive linemen that possess them to grow out ridiculously long hair? I don't have hard numbers in front of me but it seems that the largest men on the field also consistently have the biggest set of locks on the field. And we didn't do a poll of best hair, but Kerin would also be ranked much higher than No. 18.
But let's stick to football ability for now. Like most MAC linemen, he stayed close to home and didn't have many suitors at the FBS level but signed out of Olentangy High School in Delaware, Ohio. He began his season redshirting, but there was a story told about how Kerin was one of the first freshmen to be accepted by the upperclassmen in a rite of passage when his ceremonial yellow stripe was pulled off his helmet.
He still didn't start in 2010 but did see action in 11 of the 13 games. He has started every game for the last two years, being named second team All-MAC in 2011 and first team in 2012. If all goes according to plan he should make it a second straight year as the first team center.
This is also his second time being named to the Rimington Watch List, which consists of 44 of the country's top centers. To give you a better glimpse into his standing, he is one of 10 centers on the Outland Trophy watch list, which includes all offensive and defensive linemen, and one of nine on the Lombardi Trophy watch list, which is basically the same thing plus linebackers. No imagination is needed to say he's the MAC's top center right now.
He is also the lone senior on this talented Rockets line that includes four starters: Greg Mancz (#48 on our list), Jordan Hendershot, Jeff Myers and himself. The center is not usually the heart and soul of the offensive line, but proximally he should be, shouldn't he? Their line is going to be a towering strength of Toledo's team, much thanks to Kerin.