When it came down to choosing a college, it seemed all too easy of a choice for Kevin Herod, a senior fullback. The Parkland grad came through the Wing-T offensive set run by head coach Jim Morgans, and was recruited to do just that when he signed to play at Shippensburg University.

"When I came to visit Shippensburg, I liked the coaching staff and the way they run the Wing-T offense," said Herod. "Since it's what I ran at Parkland, I would be able to pick it up. I was also able to gain playing time right away since I was familiar with the scheme."

That style gives Herod a greater chance of carrying the ball, compared to just blocking for the tailback. And that is just what he can do.

Herod rushed for 955 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior at Parkland. The Trojans were 26-2 in his junior and senior seasons. He is a work horse and a winner.

After redshirting his freshman year, Herod adapted to the collegiate level rather quickly. He rushed for a team-high 727 yards and earned a Second Team All-American selection while leading the Red Raiders to their first conference title in 28 years.

"Honestly I just want to help the team win," a humble Herod said. "The numbers don't mean as much to me. I just want to keep getting better as an individual and a team."

Shippensburg finished the 2011 season with a 7-4 overall record, and 4-3 in the PSAC conference. The Raiders defeated eventual champion Kutztown 49-7. Herod feels that his team will be even better this year.

One of the biggest concerns about playing fullback is the physical demand of blocking bigger defenders, while still being able to run the ball and go out on passing routes.

The 6-foot-1, 216-pound Herod answered that question. He's carried the ball for over 200 attempts, and isn't shy about blocking when it comes down to it. He earned All-PSAC East Division First Team honors before being selected by Dan Hansen's Football Gazette as a Second Team All-American. It was his third appearance on the team in as many years.

Another Red Raider alum who was a standout fullback like Herod is a Super Bowl champion - the Green Bay Packers' John Kuhn.

Herod said he thinks about that opportunity for himself, but doesn't get carried away and keeps playing football to the level that he can.

Herod grew up playing football for the North Parkland organization from the third grade until high school. He also played basketball at Parkland.

Herod is not the most vocal player on the team, but he leads by example on and off the field. A business management major, Herod posted a 3.2 grade point average last year and says he is just as excited about his classroom success as he is about his football statistics.

"[The coaches] really stress academics here," noted Herod. "They want school to be first. There are also programs that help if student athletes are struggling in any area, which helps out a lot. If you don't do well in the classroom, you don't play. So I make sure my grades are up."

The season for Herod and the Red Raiders kicks off with a home game against Shepherd on September 1 at 1 p.m. It's the first step in what Herod hopes is a championship campaign.

"I just want to win again," added Herod. "My favorite moment here is when we won the conference in 2009. We may not be picked too high this year, but we weren't when we won at Parkland. So we will be battling."

Shippensburg comes in ranked fifth by coaches and media in the PSAC.