Major: Marketing (2001-02), Undeclared (2000)

Weight: 227 (2001-02), 210 (1999-00)

2002 Media Guide: Jess Kline is a valuable blocking back who is used extensively in short-yardage and goal line situations … can play fullback, tailback or H-back and can be counted on to always be in the right place at the right time … has fine speed and good hands and is adept at picking up stunts … also an excellent special teams player … has been hampered by a back injury
much of his career, including this past spring when he sat out the entire session, but has played through it to the best of his ability … played tailback as a freshman, but was moved to fullback at the beginning of last year.

2001 Season: Appeared in all 12 games, but did not have any carries … earned his first letter … named to the Big Ten’s All-Academic team … total playing time was 26 minutes, with five of those minutes coming in the season opener against Akron.

2001 Media Guide: Jess Kline is an intelligent football player who was moved from fullback to tailback in the spring to make better use of his all-around talent … began spring ball with a broken hand but still made an easy transition back to his old high school position … has good speed, is a fine runner and receiver and an excellent blocker (very adept at picking up stunts) … also a fine special teams player.

2000 Season: Appeared briefly in four games before suffering a back injury that sidelined him for the remainder of the season … has two carries for five yards (one against Fresno State for two yards, and the other vs. Miami for three yards) … named to the Big Ten’s All-Academic team.

2000 Media Guide: Jesse Kline’s attitude speaks for itself. Last year when Matt Keller went down with an ankle injury and Ohio State suddenly was left with only two fullbacks, Kline went to running backs coach Tim Spencer and volunteered to leave his high school position of tailback – the position that had earned him national honors and recognition – to make the switch to fullback. “He’s got a different attitude than most guys,” Spencer said. “We had thought about asking him to make the move to fullback, but then he came to us and actually volunteered. You don’t see that very often.” Kline is the fastest of three Ohio State fullbacks with 4.6 speed. He is extremely athletic and will enter the 2000 season battling for the No. 2 spot on the depth chart at fullback.

1999: Redshirted.

1999 Media Guide: Injured for part of his senior season with a hamstring pull, he still rushed for 1,100 yards and scored 15 touchdowns … rushed for over 200 yards in a state quarterfinal game for 13-1 Upper Arlington … considered the No. 2 running back in Ohio by The Ohio Football Recruiting News and received high national mention as a college fullback … rushed for 1,051 yards as a sophomore and bulled his way to 2,315 rushing yards with 33 touchdowns as a junior and was named Division I all-state by the Associated Press … a USA Today honorable mention all-American as a junior … recipient of the Larry Larson award for excellence in athletics, academics and community service.

Personal: The son of Sherry and James Kline … enjoys riding (horses and motorcycles) … born July 9, 1980.