At Ohio State, Kern quarterbacked the freshman team in 1967, 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. Kern was the leader of the Buckeyes' Super Sophomores, and guided the Buckeyes to an undefeated season and a consensus national championship in 1968. The Super Sophomores finished their three-year varsity careers with a record Kern was a fine passer and a dangerous runner. In the 1968, 1969, and 1970 seasons, he ran for 583, 524, and 597 yards respectively—high numbers for a Big Ten quarterback. The 1968 team shut out top-ranked Purdue on October 12 and went on to an undefeated season, a Big Ten championship, and a berth in the Rose Bowl. Kern was named Most Outstanding Player in the bowl as Ohio State defeated O. J. Simpson and the USC Trojans, and were consensus national champions. In 1969, the Buckeyes were expected to repeat as national champions. Kern directed a high-scoring junior-dominated Buckeye offense that cruised through its first eight games. But Kern and the Buckeyes were devastated by a 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. Ohio State did not play in a bowl game, because prior to the 1975 season, the Big Ten and Pac-8 conferences allowed just one bowl team each, to the Rose Bowl. The super sophomores rebounded as seniors in 1970 to win the Big Ten title outright, gaining revenge against Michigan. The Buckeyes finished the regular season undefeated earning another trip to Pasadena. However, they were upset by the led by quarterback Jim Plunkett, the Heisman Trophy winner. Kern, a team captain, 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.
Professional career
Kern was selected in the tenth round of the 1971 NFL Draft by the defending NFL champion Baltimore Colts. Playing cornerback and safety, he played in all fourteen games of his rookie season of 1971, but only five in 1972 after a recurrence of his back injury. Kern recovered to play a full season in 1973, making two interceptions. He was the Colts' National Football League Players Association representative during the union's strike prior to the 1974 season. After the strike ended, Kern was waived when general manager Joe Thomas acted on his threat to cut players who had walked out. He played eight games with the Buffalo Bills in 1974 before ending his career as an active player due to chronic back problems.
Personal
Kern earned three degrees from Ohio State, a baccalaureate, a master's, and a Ph.D. in education. He credited his success to his education, and his education to Woody Hayes, with whom he had a lifelong friendship. In 2001, he created the Anne and Woody Hayes Endowment for the prevention of child abuse to Columbus Children's Hospital.
