Former Bucks QB Krenzel not swept up in nostalgia

The 25-year-old hasn't closed the door on his NFL career.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- The Buckeyes' trip to the national championship game has players and fans looking back to four years ago, when Ohio State last won the title in a 31-24 win over Miami.
However, you won't find that game's most valuable player, quarterback Craig Krenzel, on the nostalgia bandwagon.
All the trophies he collected as a Buckeye starter are stored away, and he has never sat through the tape of the 2003 Fiesta Bowl, the game that decided the championship.
"I tried to watch it with some of the guys a couple of weeks after the game, but I didn't pay much attention to it," Krenzel said.
These days, the 25-year-old is focused on being a husband and father. Krenzel and wife Beth, whom he met in college, live with their 11-month-old son, Brayden, in suburban Delaware County.
"I wake up every day and thank the Lord for all he has given me," he said.
Professionally, Krenzel, who studied molecular genetics but then decided against medical school, has taken a position with a real estate firm, signed an endorsement deal with a Nissan dealership, and has a radio gig as a college football analyst.
Keeping hopes alive
And, he hasn't closed the door on football. He's in physical therapy at OSU after major surgery on his right elbow he hurt during training with the Cincinnati Bengals last year. Initially, he was drafted by the Chicago Bears and won three games as a starter in 2004 before a season-ending ankle injury.
Whether he's able to return to the National Football League hinges on how well the rehabilitation goes, Krenzel said. He still has dreams of a Super Bowl win and the Hall of Fame but said he's moving on with his life in case he never plays again.
Krenzel's football past is enough for Ohio State fans who lined up for his autograph at a recent promotional event.
Coach Jim Tressel hasn't forgotten him either, confirming that he tapped into Krenzel's expertise by having him review game film with current quarterback Troy Smith.
Krenzel is looking forward to the spotlight shifting if the Buckeyes beat Florida in Glendale, Ariz., on Monday night.
"I hope they win it again this year so Troy can have what I have, and I can sit back with my wife and raise my family," said Krenzel.