Sixth-year senior receiver overcomes two season-ending injuries
If not for two injuries, Jesse Kroll wouldn’t be playing football in Mount Pleasant this year.
Because of those, however, the Wisconsin native is able to be one of the leaders of this year’s Central Michigan football team.
Kroll, a sixth-year senior, has seen a fair amount of adversity during his time as a Chippewa.
Following a career as a high school quarterback, Kroll was eager to get on the field as a college freshman.
Then, tragedy struck.
During CMU's fall training camp in 2011, Kroll broke his arm and received a medical redshirt.
“The first time was tough because it was my first time being in a Division I atmosphere,” Kroll said. “I was just starting to get used to it. I had to wait a whole season before I got a taste of what the competition was like.”
After fighting his way back onto the field in 2012, Kroll finally got his chance to play. He finished his first season on the field with two catches.
Things were looking good for Kroll in his third year with the team. However, four games into the 2013 season, another setback surfaced.
This time it was an ankle injury, and like the first mishap, he was done for the year. The 6-foot-3 receiver saw two of his first three seasons end early due to injuries.
Instead of giving up, Kroll received another medical redshirt and used both injuries as motivation.
“The second time was tough because I had got a little taste of playing and I was ready to go, and then I got injured again,” Kroll said. “It helped instill more patience in me because that was tough to wait that long to play again. It made me hungrier to come back.”
Kroll said he did not take those two seasons for granted.
“It just goes to show the character (Kroll) has,” said fellow-receiver Corey Willis. “This is a guy that has had to fight through so much adversity throughout his career and the fact that he’s still going out there as fearless as he is just goes to show you that he’s a gamer and he loves the game.”
Kroll has also played a key role in two of CMU’s most memorable moments. In 2014, he was the initial receiver during the Hail Mary touchdown pass in the Bahamas Bowl as well as the Hail Mary that gave the team a 30-27 victory against Oklahoma State last Saturday.
“He has grown to be a special football player,” said assistant head coach Mose Rison. “I don’t know anything he can’t do. For some reason, when the ball is in his hands or in his area, something good always happens.”
Senior quarterback Cooper Rush has relied on Kroll as a go-to receiver in several key situations. During their time together, they have connected on 111 passes for 1,677 yards and eight touchdowns.
Rush said having a familiar face on the field when dropping back in the pocket provides comfort for him on game day.
“Every QB needs one of those guys who has been around,” he said. “He’s got unbelievable ball skills, and he makes those tough catches some guys can’t.”
Rison said Kroll's injuries were a blessing in disguise.
“Jesse has taken advantage of it,” he said. “He’s a seasoned player now. Without a question I know he will rise to occasion. Jesse is one of those athletes that whatever the challenge is, he’s going to prepare himself. Because of (the injuries) we here at CMU are lucky to still have him around.”
Despite missing two seasons and battling through two rehabs, Kroll said he wouldn’t want the path he’s taken to ever change.
“Everything happens for a reason,” he said. “If that wouldn’t have happened, I wouldn’t be back playing again this year. We got an opportunity to do something great this year, so I’m happy with how things turned out.”
The Chippewas face UNLV Saturday at 3 p.m. at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
