ACE IN THE HOLE
Once a three-sport athlete, Herb Page is Kent St. legend
STILLWATER — Herb Page, the 67-year-old who is in his 40th season as Kent State’s golf coach, is having knee replacement surgery later this year.
That news always generates the same question from his friends.
How’d you hurt your knee, Coach?
“Football injury,” he tells them.
Given that he’s only about 5-foot-8 and known for his quick wit, some might not take Page seriously. But if you don’t believe that Page was a Kent State football player in the early 1970s, you can ask some of his teammates.
That is, if you have easy access to the likes of Nick Saban, Gary Pinkel or Jack Lambert.
“Herb is a big deal at Kent State,” said Oklahoma State assistant golf coach Donnie Darr, who played for Page in the mid-1990s.
Page was a place-kicker for two years at Kent State, side work during his four-year golf career. And he spent a couple of winters with the school’s hockey team, too.
“I’m a Canadian. I play hockey,” he said with a chuckle. “College was one of the greatest times of my life. I was a golfer. I came on a golf scholarship. But I got to be on a football team with some hall of fame people. And my No. 1 mentor in coaching was our football coach, Don James.
“I sat in the back of the locker room and listened for two full years. He was tremendous to be around.”
And of course, there was that knee injury, which he’s finally getting properly fixed more than four decades later.
There was a bad snap on one of his field goal attempts. The ball bounced to his right, and he ran to pick it up. As soon as he did, the rushing line of the opponent
turned him into a tackling dummy.
He had surgery at the time, and was still able to finish out his golf career. A few years later, Page was hired as Kent State’s golf coach.
Over 40 years, he has built the program to astounding levels of success and respect in the college golf world. And most of the time, he was the sole force driving the program forward, through fundraising, facility development and guidance.
“He’s done things at Kent State that you wouldn’t think are possible,” said OSU athletic director and former golf coach Mike Holder. “I’ve got a lot of respect for him and what he’s done over the last several years. And I respect him because he does it the right way. He cares about the kids, stresses education and teaches them a lot more than how to golf their ball.”
Having soaked in so many coaching tactics from James’ football approach, Page initially brought a fiery, intense coaching style to golf.
“Somebody accused me of coaching golf like hockey and football,” he said. “So I’ve had to calm down a little bit. But my passion’s on my sleeve. It is what it is.”
So he has mellowed with age, but his competitive spirit hasn’t faded.
“He’s gritty,” said Chase Johnson, a senior for Kent State. “When competition comes, he’s ready to beat everyone. But he has this hilarious side, and a soft side, too. He knows how to adapt his style to fit all of his players and everyone he’s around. Perfect coach.”
After Sunday’s third round of the NCAA men’s championships at Karsten Creek Golf Club, Page’s squad was in eighth place.
Oklahoma, Auburn and Texas A&M are just ahead of Kent State. Alabama, Texas and Arkansas just behind.
One of these schools is not like the others. But Page’s magic has overcome the cavernous valleys that should separate Kent State from those other major universities.
“He has built Kent State into a national contender, year in and year out, at a mid-major school in the snow belt,” Darr said. “That’s just not supposed to happen, and he’s been the guy who's done it all.”