Kaleno Levine’s Unshakable Climb Through Adversity

When Kaleno Levine jogs onto the field at The Vet this fall, he won't just be another cornerback chasing down receivers. He'll be a living symbol of perseverance, faith, and family – the kind of story that doesn't just happen, but is forged through sacrifice, setbacks, and an unbreakable bond with the people who raised him.

Levine's journey to Troy defies the traditional path. From growing up in a single-parent household in Fort Worth, Texas, to grinding through Division II and junior college, to missing almost an entire season due to a seizure, to finally arriving at the FBS level, Levine has taken the long road, and he's never walked it alone.

Raised by a Queen
Kaleno Levine was raised by a powerhouse of a woman. His mother, Krescent, raised three children on her own while putting herself through college. She not only graduated but did so on the Dean's List.

"My mom is my best friend," Levine said. "She taught me how to work hard. She showed me that no matter what you're going through, no matter what your circumstances are, if you stay focused and believe, you can make it."

When young Kaleno wanted to quit football after getting hit at his first practice, it was Krescent who shut the door on that idea.

"She told me, 'You don't quit what you start,'" he said. "I was in the room crying, saying I didn't want to go back, and she made me go. She instilled that mindset in me, that grit."

As Levine began climbing the ranks in football, she was always in his corner — from D2 to JUCO to Missouri State and now Troy.

"She was there on every official visit, through every transfer, every portal move," he said. "And no matter where I play, she's in the stands."

The Backbone of the Bleachers
The support doesn't end with his mother. His sisters, Raqui and Kyla, are constants in his life. Raqui, the oldest, is a teacher in Fort Worth. Kyla is still in school. And then there's Rylin, Levine's little brother and pride and joy.

"Rylin's gonna be better than me," Kaleno said. "He's 11 and already playing safety. He's tall, works hard, and he's not scared to hit. He's got the blueprint now, so he won't have to figure it out like I did."

But more than anything, Rylin has Kaleno as a role model. With the big age gap, Kaleno stepped into a father figure role without hesitation. The bond between them goes beyond football. Whether it's FaceTime calls after practice or playing video games together, Kaleno lives to show his brother what's possible.

"He gets to live life in a way I never did as a kid," Kaleno said. "He's been to huge stadiums, seen me play in front of 40,000 fans. He gets to believe early that all of this is possible."

And the family shows up … always.

"They make every game," Levine said. "Even when I was at Missouri State, which was about six and a half hours from Fort Worth, they were there. And now, even with the 10.5-hour drive to Troy, they'll still be there. It's nothing to them. They're all-in with me."

Krescent and the crew always find a way to be in the crowd, waving, cheering, and waiting to hug him after the game.

"There's nothing like coming off the field and seeing your people right there, smiling, hugging you. That moment, it's everything," Levine said.

A Football Life – With Detours
Levine's playing career started with hesitation; he hated getting hit. But the turning point came with a simple incentive: Skittles.

"I'd get Skittles every time I scored," he said. "That's my favorite candy, especially the yellow ones. So, I kept scoring."

That early motivation turned into real passion. He developed into a serious talent, but coming out of high school, things didn't fall perfectly into place. He had preferred walk-on offers but decided to go the Division II route to avoid student debt. Then he jumped to junior college, where things really started to take off.

From there, he transferred to Missouri State. And just when everything looked to be aligning, it all stopped in the fall of 2023.

"I had a seizure right before practice," he said. "One minute I was walking into the locker room, the next thing I remember is waking up in the ambulance."

He had experienced one back in sixth grade but hadn't had another in over a decade. The episode cost him the season. He'd been preparing to start against Kansas. That dream was gone, at least for a while.

"I had to find myself outside of football," he said. "For so long, I had always been 'K5' the football player. I had to figure out who Kaleno was. That year taught me how to grow spiritually and mentally. I had to get closer to God for myself."

Troy and a Call That Changed Everything
When Levine hit the portal again, he was hot. Over 16 FBS programs came calling. A school from the Big 12 looked like the frontrunner; he already had roots there with a close friend who had played for an NFL team in the area. But it was Troy and head coach Gerad Parker that changed everything.

"Coach Parker recruited me harder than anyone, like a position coach," Levine said. "He wasn't just trying to fill a roster spot; they want me."

As Levine considered the Power 4 school, Parker reached out one last time.

"He said, 'I don't want to tell you what to do, just keep an open heart and open mind.'"

Levine went on a visit to the P4 school, but something didn't feel right. The fit wasn't there. The opportunity to truly play wasn't clear. He knew he needed snaps and not just a brand name if he was going to make it to the league.

Then he visited Troy.

"I told my mom, 'We can't go here,'" he laughed. "It was all trees, felt like the middle of nowhere."

But then he sat down with the staff, felt the culture, and saw the vision. The vibe was different – it felt like family.

After prayer and reflection, Levine made the call.

"I FaceTimed the whole staff with my mom next to me and said, 'I'm coming.' And that was it."

More Than a Player
Now at Troy, Levine isn't just preparing for football. He's finishing his degree. He's making his family proud. He's showing his little brother what a dream in motion looks like.

"I just want to walk across that stage with my diploma and give it to my mom," he said. "That's my real Super Bowl."

And when the lights come on this fall, and the crowd roars, there'll be a woman in the stands named Krescent watching her son live out everything she helped build.

There will be siblings in the stands too, cheering, recording on their phones, soaking in the moment, and hopefully with a bag of Skittles for the postgame celebration.

And somewhere in the crowd, a wide-eyed 11-year-old named Rylin will be watching, knowing that everything he wants in life is within reach because big bro showed him how to chase it.

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Kaleno Levine’s Unshakable Climb Through Adversity

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Kaleno Levine

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