Who Is Toby Korrodi?

I was reading some dispatches from the NFL scouting combine and saw a name that I wasn't familiar with atop the list of fastest throw from a quarterback. I also got an email about Chris Leak scoring poorly on the Wonderlic test and it made reference to the same name. Toby Korrodi of Central Missouri threw the ball at 63 mph, according to the Newark Star-Ledger's notes, so I decided to dig a bit deeper to find out if Korrodi is destined to be the next Johnny Unitas.

Not surprisingly the Kansas City Star comes up first when you consult Senor Google. Randy Covitz has done a great job of profiling the local long shot. Korrodi's story helps, right from the start you've got yourself a helluva hook.

Korrodi, 23, is a father of three whose wife survived a horrific cannon accident on a football field three years ago.

Don't jump to any conclusions, Korrodi's wife has never been involved with Rex Grossman. It's a more conventional cannon accident, if such a thing exists. When Korrodi was at a different Division II school, Northern State, his wife Laura worked in game-day promotions. Like many schools, Northern used a cannon as part of the Saturday festivities and her job was to load the gunpowder. Wind carried a spark into the barrel and the cannon went off causing first and second-degree burns to her face and third-degree burns elsewhere on her body.

She's okay now and the couple have three kids together. Korrodi left Northern State when their coach, Ken Heupel (father of former Oklahoma QB Josh Heupel), retired and found his way to Central Missouri. He starred at Northern, completing a Mineral Water Bowl-record 33 passes for 422 yards in a 36-33 loss to Washburn. The Mineral Water Bowl, for those of you who live under a rock, matches teams from the Northern Sun and Mid-America Intercollegiate Conferences that don't make the Division II playoffs. It's like Excelsior Springs, MO's version of the Humanitarian Bowl, only without the blue turf.

If it's true that Korrodi scored a 12 on the Wonderlic it wouldn't be the first time poor test taking kept him from achieving his dreams. He was All-State as a high schooler in San Antonio but, reports the Star, "didn’t take school too seriously and let his grades slide". He was a resounding success in Division II and ranks fifth all time in touchdowns and eighth in passing yards. It's good that he put up such gaudy numbers and good that he stands 6'4" because the odds are even longer for players from his tier than they are for the average collegian. Only two D-II QB's were on NFL rosters last season - Jon Kitna and Todd Bouman - were on NFL rosters last season.

I'm rooting for the dumb lug, though, and hopefully his performance at the combine gets him drafted. It sounds like it got him noticed, at least, and who couldn't use a feel-good story at the third quarterback.

Comments

[Jack Cobra]

Wow, where do you find this stuff. You had me at, "Korrodi, 23, is a father of three whose wife survived a horrific cannon accident on a football field three years ago."

[extrapolater]

Yeah, great to hear about him, even if he doesn't make it. I'm pretty sure he could make the Chiefs at third string, though.

[Joe Barker]

Toby Korrodi -- I saw him play this season for UCM against my Truman Bulldogs. Nothing impressive. If this guy makes the NFL I will be shocked. Picture someone like Scott Mitchell. He had ZERO mobility.

[the butler]

"more conventional cannon accident."

That's awesome.

And yeah, who the hell hasn't heard of the Mineral Water Bowl?

[CSG]

Kitna's technically from an NAIA school; Central Washington was a NAIA school when he attended, and has since been reclassified.

[brian]

How does this guy make it to the combine when a guy like Cullen Finnerty does not? He was only the most elite of d2 quarterbacks during the last 4 years racking up a 51-4 record and leading Grand Valley State to 3 national titles in 4 years...

[james]

look..toby is a great qb...u give him a line and this guy can win ballgames...i saw him through highschool(glory days maroon and gold)and now in college ...hes a peyton manning waiting to be discovered...trust me..wade phillups i hope you read this...get film of toby when he used to play for harlandale...you'll be amazed...harlandalev.s mashall...season opener

[ZEUS]

He's in a league of his own. I blocked for the guy through middle and high school. Where he lacks in mobility he makes up for it in passing strength and accuracy. He is faster than he appears while in the pocket. He was and is one of the few elite athletes. While in high school he was a 4 year letterman in three sports (football, basketball and baseball). Won impresive honors in every sport. From allstate in football, alldistrict baseball pitcher, and all district point guard in basketball. One word to describe Toby.......Resilient...No one tells him what he can or can not do.

[Martin]

I like the top comment but you forgot that he's broken records at every school he's been to. Broke every high school record at Harlandale High School San Antonio TX,ranked as one of the best quarterbacks in the city of San Antonio's all time QB list, broke most his school's passing records at Northern State and broke records at Central Missouri. He's ranked 5th in passing for the all time Division two football records. The only thing that kept the country from knowing his name is that he didn't come from Big12, ACC, PAC, etc. He also threw the fastest ball in the combine (63mph) this comming from a guy that could not bench 2 reps of 225 if his life depended on it. Natural Talent.

[The Feed]

I'm rooting for him. The Jets could use a third stringer who knows his way around a cannon.

[Jayson]

Toby will make it anywhere they put him....I went to school with the dude and he excelled at every sport no doubt he will make it in the NFL...he is definately better than some of the 3rd string QBs in the NFL already....

[DraftGuy]

I watched TK play at the University of Central Missouri for 2 years..This guy has an ABSOLUTE CANNON of an arm. He's not muscular like Brady Quinn but boy can he throw the ball. Last year he was not surrounded by adequate recievers or for that matter a decent O-line. Given the right opportunity, TK could see playing time next year as a backup QB. Get this guy with a NFL trainer, and his potential is the ceiling. You can't teach the intangibles this guy possesses.

[Marc]

Let's see...would you rather have a QB that can run around the field and not win games or a QB who may not be as mobile as some other QB's but knows how to win? TK the same skills most of these top ranked QB's have; however, the boy has something that the rest of them don't. A furious and relentless desire to win. Put the weight of your team on him and ride him to your team's success. I certainly agree that if given the opportunity to at least play...Toby will become a household name in all of America just like he became a household name in San Antonio during his incredible HS career.

[Drew]

I backed up Tobi at Northern State and from watching him first hand I know he has what it takes to be successful in the NFL. When the game was on the line, I'm telling you with his confidence and intangibles no one had any doubts that he would carry us for the win. He may not have very much mobility, but who cares. A successful qb doesn't need to run, look at manning, and Tobi could be that good.

[Luis Vazquez]

Truth is the NFL is no joke and it's hard for every athlete to make it and stay where they are and improve. And anyone who thinks they know who can make it and who can't, better be a scout who gets paid to know their stuff. But Toby can achieve any goal he wants and my faith is backed up by the ability he has to perform on the field. You don't pass up on a record breaker. Especially one who did it with average resources. Same goes with old FB, Ronnie Cruz. If RC is healthy and ready after his recent surgery (due to his knee injury in week 5 against the Steelers)for this or next season, pick him up. These gentlmen are diamonds in the rough and quality persons as well.