Chris D’Appolonia started and ended the 2024 season against teams from his hometown of Pittsburgh.
In between, he earned an unlikely Ph. D. in coaching from University of Toledo defensive coordinator Vince Kehres and the rest of the staff.
D’Appolonia, a 6-foot-3, 240-pound linebacker, was one of Toledo’s best special teams players in 2023, finishing with eight tackles as a true freshman. He was projected to be a contributor at linebacker in 2024 until a fractured hip in the opener against Duquesne sidelined him for nearly the entire season.
But the suburban Pittsburgh native refused to let it be a lost year, attending practice, listening intently in meeting rooms, and sitting in the coaches’ booth on game days.