Kuhn a familiar face
SLIPPERY ROCK — The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference continues to be represented in the Super Bowl.
For the third consecutive year, a PSAC alumnus will be on the field Super Sunday.
Clarion graduate Reggie Wells was a starting offensive lineman for the Arizona Cardinals two years ago. Bloomsburg graduate Jahri Evans was a starting offensive lineman for the New Orleans Saints last year.
This Sunday, Shippensburg graduate John Kuhn will be in the lineup at fullback for the Green Bay Packers — and Slippery Rock University coach George Mihalik remembers him well.
“When he was in college, John Kuhn didn’t know what blocking was,” Mihalik said. “He’s made the transition to blocking fullback in the NFL and has extended his stay there.
“I give him all the credit in the world for that.”
Kuhn graduated from Shippensburg holding school records for career rushing yards with 4,685, career touchdowns with 53 and career 100-yard rushing games with 26.
His career-high single-game rushing total in the NFL is 50 yards, which he recorded against Dallas this season.
“Once he got the ball inside the 10-yard line, he was tough to keep out of the end zone,” Mihalik recalled. “He’s still that way.”
Kuhn shared the NCAA Division II scoring title in 2003, tallying 22 touchdowns. The Rock kept him out of the end zone that year, allowing him 86 yards on 25 carries.
Kuhn had 26 carries for 112 yards against SRU as a sophomore, and 30 carries for 156 yards as a senior. He scored one career touchdown against The Rock.
“NFL defenses have a tough time keeping him out of the end zone, so I guess we did a good job on him,” Mihalik said.
Kuhn had 84 carries for 281 yards and four touchdowns for the Packers in the regular season. He caught 15 passes for 97 yards and two more scores.
He is the only player on the Packers roster to rush for a TD and to catch a TD pass in both of the past two seasons.
Kuhn is in his fifth season with Green Bay after seeing brief duty with the Steelers in 2005. He had a 16-yard run against Cleveland that year.
While SRU did not face current Steelers running back Isaac Redman when he was at Bowie State, it did face his team. The Rock defeated Bowie State 35-7 in their 2007 season opener while Redman was suspended.
“These guys are proving that Division II players can play in the NFL,” Mihalik said. “The track record of Division II players in recent years is one of the reasons (SRU center) Brandon Fusco is getting so much attention.”
Fusco, a Seneca Valley graduate, played in the Senior Bowl Saturday and is considered one of the top five collegiate centers in the nation.
“Guys who try walking on at Division I schools after turning down Division II scholarships are making big mistakes,” Mihalik said.
“Guys like John Kuhn and Isaac Redman are proving that.”
