 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.