There are stronger arms and flashier feet than those attached to Craig Krenzel.
The best work of the Ohio State junior quarterback on most Saturdays draws nothing more than a collective sigh.
But the Buckeyes are 10-0 and in the hunt for a national title in large part because of Krenzel’s uncanny grasp of what the team needs him to be: the ultimate company man.
“Craig is doing exactly what they want him to do,” said Purdue coach Joe Tiller, whose team hosted the Buckeyes on Saturday. “He’s staying within the system. He’s obviously making the throws that are there. And if he doesn’t feel like the throw is there, he’s pulling the ball down and running for a lot of yardage.”
Krenzel is uncorking fewer passes than any starting QB in the Big Ten, but a reliable ground game and bone-crushing defense have removed the need for him to air it out.
When he does throw, he’s usually accurate. His completion percentage of 62.4 is No. 1 in the conference and better than the OSU season record of 61.9 set by Bobby Hoying in 1995.
And thanks to some timely scrambling, Krenzel is second at his position in the Big Ten in rushing yards with 222.
“Everyone has respected him from day one,” said center Alex Stepanovich, Krenzel’s roommate. “He came in and didn’t expect anything from anyone and really worked his way into his [starting] role.
“We like to run the ball, and it’s never about how many times he’d like to throw it. He’s all about victories. When you judge quarterbacks, it’s how many times you win. . . . And he’s done that so far.”
Krenzel is 11-1 as a starter, dating to last year’s Michigan game. The lone loss came when he made a token start in the Outback Bowl and was replaced by Steve Bellisari.
Krenzel had a typically unspectacular but effective performance in the 34-3 win over Minnesota last week: 9-of-15 passing for 128 yards and one touchdown.
“Craig Krenzel is a player,” safety Mike Doss said. “He has heart. What that guy is doing is great. You’ve got to keep believing in him. You look at his record since he’s been the starter. That’s what it’s all about. He’s a winner.”
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