Krenzel fights to overcome inconsistency

The Buckeyes' leader on offense has battled injuries this season.
By ROB TODOR
VINDICATOR SPORTS EDITOR
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- He has a 23-3 record as the starting quarterback and led Ohio State to a national championship, yet Craig Krenzel can't escape the shadow of doubt that somehow he hasn't achieved.
Such is the life of one of the most-closely scrutinized positions in college football.
Krenzel's season has been hampered by injury and inconsistency, a lack of productive running game and poor protection by his line.
All of his key statistics -- completion percentage, touchdowns and interceptions -- are worse than in the magical 2002 season.
But as far as the fifth-year senior from Sterling Heights, Mich., is concerned, all of that is history. The only thing that matters now is what happens Friday night in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, when the Buckeyes take on Big XII Conference champion Kansas State.
Goals missed
"We haven't accomplished any of our goals [from] the beginning of the season," said Krenzel, citing "to be in New Orleans [for the Sugar Bowl] ... and to win our conference.
"Right now we have one goal and that's to win Friday night. Maybe it's from a pride standpoint that we don't want to go out losing our last two games, but we're definitely not lacking motivation, we're definitely not lacking enthusiasm."
Krenzel, who sat out wins against Bowling Green and Northwestern with a hyper-extended elbow and was knocked out of the Penn State game, threw for 11 touchdowns, but eight interceptions in the Buckeyes' 10-2 regular season.
Never flashy, Krenzel had a good start to the season in a 28-9 win over Washington, throwing for 203 yards and rushing for two scores.
But the following game, against supposedly out-manned San Diego State, he completed just 5-of-20 passes for 76 yards and an interception, as Ohio State struggled to a three-point win.
Rather than an aberration, it was a sign of things to come in a season that didn't ultimately live up to the lofty expectations.
"Personally, I think maybe I played a little bit better last year," Krenzel said Monday. "Maybe I was a little more consistent [in 2002], but I still don't feel that I had a bad season.
"I had a lot of ups and downs, dealing with some injuries, not playing as well as I would have liked to a couple times."
Elbow bothersome
The elbow injury didn't help, coming late in the three-overtime win against North Carolina State in the third game.
"It definitely bothered me, but I'm not going to make excuses and say I didn't play as well as I should have because of the elbow," Krenzel said.
"But every day in practice it was hard to warm up and it was hard to loosen up and it was tight, but, as to much how much it affected my play, I don't really know. I think it was very minimal, if any," Krenzel said.
The ability to overcome the normal aches and pains is one of Krenzel's strengths, said Ohio State offensive coordinator Jim Bollman.
"He's really a tough, tough competitor and a good leader," Bollman said. "He's been through a lot of big games and played a lot of big plays at some crucial times. He has a lot of the intangibles that you need."
Of his 23 wins as a starter, 13 have been by a touchdown or less. This season, the Buckeyes were 5-1 in such games.
Sacrifice for the team
Krenzel downplays the notion that he's a special kind of player.
"I don't think I brought anything different than what any of these other guys on the field bring to the team -- a sacrifice to put whatever they have on the field at any cost to go out and win a football game.
"Toughness, I guess, that's just the way I play. There's certain things that won't take me out of a game. Mentally, you can get your body to do a lot more than you really think you can."
Despite the disappointment of the 2003 season, Krenzel said the Buckeyes can still achieve a measure of greatness with a win Friday.
"Obviously we didn't have as much success as we would have liked, but that's not to say we didn't have a successful season," Krenzel said. "If we can go out and finish 11-2, we'll have the ability to say we had a great season."