UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Junior cornerback Kalen King and his twin brother linebacker Kobe treated their recruitments out of Cass Technical High school in Detroit, Michigan, with the same goal in mind. They wanted to stay together wherever their journeys led them.
There was nearly a moment where their dream of playing elite level college football together ended. The brothers almost split up to attend different schools but a visit to Penn State reinvigorated their ambition to chase their goal of playing in the NFL together.
"We definitely imagined playing college football together," Kalen said. "Growing up and in high school, that was all we wanted to do. That was what we worked for was to go to college and play football together and now that it's happening, it's almost a surreal moment because we've been working for this moment our whole life and now that we're in it, I'm just trying to take it all in and just enjoy every moment while it's here."
Kobe said that it's a "blessing" to don the signature blue and white uniform alongside his brother and recognized that something "clicked for both of us" during the visit to Penn State. Kobe also shared how it's a "special" feeling to trot out of the tunnel side-by-side with his lifelong best friend.
Kalen and Kobe attended roughly 15 Michigan games together growing up as the former idolized former Heisman Award winner Charles Woodson. The duo are now set to play against their home state team for the third time in their collegiate careers and this time will bring more "juice" as Kalen said.
"I know a lot of individuals on that side of the ball and in that organization," Kalen said. "Just me having an opportunity to see all my guys again and see all the people that I grew up with, it just means a lot so I definitely will take this game with a little more juice because it's my hometown, so I gotta be juiced up a little more than usual."
Kalen has reached All-American status while playing in every game since his freshman year and Kobe has emerged as a talented linebacker with 4.5 tackles for loss and 30 total tackles in 2023. The pair have pushed each other since heading to Happy Valley three years ago and have found a key friendship with fellow Detroit product and junior safety Jaylen Reed.
Reed described a Detroit style player as "tough and confident" which Kobe has taken to heart during his development process. Kobe has prided himself on his confidence which has grown through the scheme designed by defensive coordinator Manny Diaz. Kobe has been "dialed into" what each linebacker spot brings and has enhanced his awareness.
"Confidence is one, being around certain guys and just learning guys too and just me dialing in more to the defensive scheme as a whole, not just the Mike position or Sam or Will," Kobe said. "Trying to figure out what other guys are doing on the field like my D-lineman and D-ends and corners and safeties, so just kind of learning more aspects of the scheme of the defense so I can help myself play better through that scheme."
Both Kalen and Kobe play with that Detroit style edge with a distinct chip on their shoulders and an emphasis on the "six second mentality." There's constant communication between the twins on and off the field which has established a unique connection.
Head coach James Franklin praised their relationship as a "tremendous support system" and Kalen's ability to be "super competitive since he stepped on campus and he's been coachable."
Kalen was hard on himself following the Ohio State game and regarded it as "probably one of the worst games I had in my career" but is now focused on being more "attentive and on point" as Kobe said of his brother. The twins will move forward, as they always do.
"It's a best and worst critic type of thing just with him being a cornerback and me being a linebacker," Kobe said. "He's seeing different stuff and I'm seeing different stuff, just giving each other tips and tricks. We kind of give each other feedback on plays that we made bad and could have done better just with his experience and my experience and communicating because it's a whole another world as a corner and it's another different world as a linebacker."
