Carmen Ohio
All-American
CK detractors should take a look at today's NFL.com article on him. They love Craig in Chicago... they say he's already got the offense down. I'd cut and paste it here if I knew how :)
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Carmen Ohio said:CK detractors should take a look at today's NFL.com article on him. They love Craig in Chicago... they say he's already got the offense down. I'd cut and paste it here if I knew how :)
Carmen Ohio said:You might be the coolest dude in this forum:)
Poise perfect prescription for Krenzel
BY TERRY BANNON
August 18, 2004
BOURBONNAIS, Ill. -- There's something about Craig Krenzel that doesn't seem right. In the NFL, rookies are supposed to have dazed, vacant looks in their eyes.
The adjustment to the NFL playbook and training-camp regimen makes some of them look as if they're carrying bricks on their shoulders, to say nothing of the thick playbook under their arms.
And many of them drafted in the fifth round know that in a year or two, they may be on their way to what former Pittsburgh coach Chuck Noll referred to as "your life's work."
Some day, Krenzel's work may be medicine. But medical school is on hold and he's enrolled in football school.
Actually, he has been studying the game for quite some time and that's one of the reasons Krenzel is hardly fazed. He spent five seasons at Ohio State, redshirting as a freshman and leading the Buckeyes to the national championship his junior season.
Maybe that's why his Bears' debut last week at St. Louis won't leave him with the memories it might for others.
"I don't know if there was a play where I said, `Oh, I'm in the NFL now,'" said Krenzel, 23.
"I was excited; I don't get a whole lot of reps in practice. I'm getting more than I expected a No. 3 guy would get, but just to be able to get game-time experience and have a lot of fun was good."
The game was tied 10-10 when he relieved Jonathan Quinn in the fourth quarter.
Krenzel completed 4 of 7 passes for 33 yards with no interceptions.
Krenzel had three possessions with the game tied, starting drives at the Bears' 6, 29 and 44. He produced one first down, hitting tight end Mike Pinkard for 11 yards on his first play.
It looked like he would get another chance in overtime, but Ahmad Merritt returned the kickoff 87 yards to the Rams' 7 and Paul Edinger kicked the game-winning 25-yard field goal on first down.
Did the rookie feel like a rookie? Not exactly.
"We're trained to do a skill, that's why we come out here [to practice] twice a day," Krenzel said.
And did he play like a rookie in his first game?
"What he did at the end of the game, how he handled the last four or five plays, his thought process was outstanding," offensive coordinator Terry Shea said. "His poise in the pocket is so beyond his years in experience."
Krenzel started his final two seasons at Ohio State. He showed moxie and toughness, leading the Buckeyes past Miami for the national title in the Fiesta Bowl. He was named the game's MVP despite completing only 7 of 21 passes. He made up for it by rushing 19 times for 81 yards. Last season he was the Fiesta Bowl's MVP again, leading Ohio State past Kansas State when he completed 11 of 24 passes for four touchdowns.
Krenzel showed he could win without having a big passing day, though that won't work often in the NFL. Questions about his passing accuracy are one reason he was available to the Bears in the fifth round.
"His accuracy was a little off sometimes, but he never made the stupid play," college scouting director Greg Gabriel said. "There are a lot of guys who will force things; he won't do that. He can think quickly on his feet. He doesn't make the bonehead mistake.
"He was a streak passer. When he got in a groove, he could complete 10 or 12 in a row. [His accuracy] is correctable. But in our game you have to have a poised, intelligent guy, and that's what he is."
Accuracy is high on Krenzel's to-do list.
"There isn't a quarterback in the league who wouldn't like to be more accurate," Krenzel said. "The biggest part of accuracy is being decisive. If you're guessing where to go with your ball, you're not going to have it where you want it."
At Ohio State, Krenzel played before packed houses in one of the game's most historic programs. Although Columbus has not been a breeding ground for NFL quarterbacks, the experience can make the transition to the NFL easier. At least it has for Krenzel.
"When you're out there on the field, you're thinking play calls, progressions, defenses, coverages," Krenzel said. "In that respect it's no different from college."
Krenzel gets most of his work in practice with and against reserves. He takes success anywhere he can find it.
"It feels good to do the right assignment, but at the same time, it was expected," said Krenzel, who lofted a long touchdown pass to Justin Gage in Tuesday afternoon's workout. "We're not here to once in a while get it right."
Much has been made about the Bears' complicated offense and how much can be installed in the first season. The only Bear with a bachelor's degree in molecular genetics is not overwhelmed.
"It's not complicated in terms of the scheme; it's complicated in terms of the volume," Krenzel said. "Once you get through the concepts and plays and progressions, everything makes a lot of sense."
Krenzel will be the No. 3 quarterback. A year from now, he may be in position to challenge for the No. 2 job.
"He has a lot of athletic ability, he can really run, he has more speed than the rest of the group," said coach Lovie Smith, a former Ohio State assistant. "He's exactly what you look for in a third quarterback. He just grows each day. He knows he's not going to play right away; he's getting ready for the future."
Krenzel might not get on the field all season. That's why August is so important to him. He's scheduled to play in the second half against San Francisco on Saturday night at Soldier Field.
If he keeps progressing, it might not be a cause for panic if he does have to play.
"He has a tremendous mind for retaining what you tell him," Shea said. "He doesn't play like, `Where do I go now.' He won't be your average No. 3 rookie. He could probably enter a game and make something happen for you."