In the process of chasing their own dreams, former University of Toledo standouts Bryant Koback and Tycen Anderson perhaps sparked the future football dreams of some of the 140 youngsters who attended a free one-day camp Saturday at the Springfield High School stadium.
The event, which was organized and staged by Mike Robinson and 4th and Goal Athletics, was a three-hour skills camp for kids aged 8-14, with Koback and Anderson serving as the headliners.
“It feels great,” Koback said of the camp experience. “This is home. This is like my back yard. I live five minutes from this place. I wanted to get the kids out here from all over the Toledo area to experience a little of what I got to experience every day when I was at Springfield.”
It was at a camp at this same field in which the football dreams of a grade-school-aged Bryant Koback were born.
“When I was a kid, I went to Rick Upchurch's camp here,” said Koback, who was a first team All-Ohio running back at Springfield before becoming the fourth-leading rusher in UT history from 2018-21. “It was a week long. It was the first time I ever experienced anything like that through football, and it kind of changed my perspective on what sport I wanted to pursue.
“I always look back to that because that was my starting point.”
Upchurch was a high school star at Springfield in the early 1970s before moving on to the University of Minnesota and a notable career in the NFL as a all-pro receiver and return man for the Denver Broncos.
“Me and Tycen were just working out one day and got to talking and said, 'Hey, let's put on something for the kids and give back to the community,’” Koback said. “Our entire time while we were at the University of Toledo, we did as much community service as possible, and we wanted to give back to the kids, especially because we're local.”
Koback and Anderson were aware of each other and held a mutual respect in high school, although Springfield and Anderson's St. John's Jesuit team never played against each other.
They first met during a summer 7-on-7 game, went on some college recruiting visits together, and resumed their friendship when Koback transferred back to Toledo from the University of Kentucky following the 2017 season.
Since becoming Rockets teammates, their bond has grown.
Koback, a 6-foot, 210-pound running back who rushed for 4,046 yards and scored 53 touchdowns in his UT career, signed as an undrafted free agent with the Minnesota Vikings on April 30.
Anderson, a 6-2, 210-pound safety, made 237 tackles and had19 pass breakups in his career, was a UT captain, and was selected in the fifth round (166th overall pick) of the 2022 NFL draft by Cincinnati on the heels of the Bengals' appearance in the Super Bowl. He signed a contract with the Bengals on May 19.
Both players were named to the 2021 All-Mid-American Conference first team.
“It was a joint effort,” Anderson said of putting on the free camp. “We knew we wanted to do something, so we used our connections in the city and talked to the right people and they helped us get it all situated. Mike Robinson and Springfield, and a lot of people came together to help us out.”
Koback, like Anderson, is a picture of dedication.
After earning first team Division II All-Ohio honors as a junior at Springfield (2,015 rushing yards, 31 touchdowns) in 2015, he had already gained 1,096 yards and scored 21 touchdowns when he sustained a fractured tibia and fibula in the Blue Devils' fifth game of the 2016 season.
“It definitely made me mature quick and realize that it can be taken from you literally any second,” Koback said of the injury. “You don't really realize how something can be gone that fast until you have that experience. It just makes me take it that much more serious every single day and on every single rep.”
He had surgery and went through an extensive rehabilitation process while being red-shirted as a freshman at Kentucky in 2017. He decided to transfer to Toledo for 2018, and has completed his undergraduate degree and an MBA at UT.
He closed his Rockets career by carrying 208 times for 1,400 yards, catching 30 passes for 334 yards, and scoring 18 touchdowns in 2021.
“I had a great career at Toledo, but still fell short of a [MAC championship] ring,” Koback said. “But I built some amazing relationships with my teammates. You can see that by how many people came out here today from UT.
“I can't thank them enough for coming out here and giving back to my local community, and Tycen feels the same way. We have had some deep bonds at Toledo. It's a brotherhood. Everybody there is on the same page.”
Eligible for a fifth UT season because of the pandemic, Koback opted to declare for the NFL draft instead. Although he went undrafted, he signed shortly after the draft with the Vikings, and is one of seven backs on their preseason roster.
Not invited to the NFL's pre-draft combine, Koback had good numbers at a UT pro day. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.47 seconds, bench-pressed 225 pounds 28 times, and had a 40.5 inch vertical jump.
“We'll just have to see,” Koback said of his chances at landing a roster spot with the Vikings. “I'm going there every single day to give it my all, and definitely will be busting my butt trying to earn a spot on the roster.
“So far, I'm loving it there in Minnesota. I'm loving the guys that I'm around, and it's been a great atmosphere. Like I told these kids out here today, you've got to believe in yourself before anyone else will believe in you.
“My confidence level is sky high right now, and I've just got to keep it there because, without confidence, you're not at the top of your game. I will make that roster if I play just like myself.”
Anderson ran a 4.36 in the 40 at the NFL combine, and had a 37-inch vertical at the UT pro day.
“I was super blessed to get that phone call,” he said of being drafted. “That was one of the best phone calls ever. Obviously, they're Super Bowl contenders, so I'm just trying to make my mark and see where the chips may fall.
“Every day I know there are things I've got to get better at, and things I've got to learn. There's a lot of hungry guys there with families to feed, but it's a great locker room. It's not a selfish locker room. It's a real family vibe, and everybody's trying to help each other because the end goal is the Super Bowl.”
A versatile all-around athlete at St. John's, Anderson also played basketball for the Titans, and competed in sprints (100 and 200), long jump (23 feet, 5.5 inches), and high jump (6-6) for the St. John's track team.
“I advise all kids to play multiple sports,” Anderson said. “There's no need to specialize in a sport. I took so much from playing basketball – my defensive slides, jumping high to get a rebound, and to have chemistry with different people. Track helped me train those explosive muscles that I needed to have to be a better football player.”
He feels this wide array of athletic experience — and his education — have served him well.
“St. John's prepared me,” Anderson said. “They've got a lot of great coaches there in every sport that I played. That all prepared me for that [draft] moment, and we all know that St. John's prepares you academically. It got me ready to go dominate college and get my degree.”
Staying hungry and striving to get better has been key for Anderson, who was a first team D-II All-Ohio defensive back as a senior with the Titans in 2016.
“I've never viewed myself as the best at anything, ever,” Anderson said. “That always kept me hungry for growth. Even when I got to be the starter,and got to be the captain, I was always asking my coaches, 'Where am I messing up?' and 'How can I take my game from good to great?'
“I'm trying to take it from where it is now to another level. It's all about being honest with yourself. A lot of people only want to hear about the good things that they do. They want to get a pat on the back. I want to hear what I need to get better at, and put my time, effort, and energy into being great.”
First Published July 9, 2022, 9:18 p.m.
