Post-OSU Update: Craig Krenzel was a fifth-round selection (148th overall) in the 2004 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears. Krenzel played in six games, starting five, and compiled a 3-2 record as a starter for a Bears team that finished 5-11. That was Krenzel’s only season with NFL regular season action. He finished his NFL career with 718 yards passing and three TDs to six interceptions. After football, Krenzel formed an insurance company, Arthur Krenzel Lett, and has worked there since. (updated: Sep. 2022)

Major: Molecular Genetics (2001-03), Undeclared (1999-00)

Weight: 225 (2003), 215 (1999-02)

2003 Media Guide: Craig Krenzel is an outstanding leader and winner in every sense of the word … tough, smart and competitive … will be in his second season as the starting quarterback and should be a candidate for all the postseason awards … heads into the 2003 campaign with a 15-1 record as a starter, including a double overtime win over Miami in the national championship game and two wins over Michigan … was selected the offensive MVP of the Fiesta Bowl, where he led both teams in rushing with 81 yards and also scored a pair of touchdowns … carried the ball 19 times against Miami … is a heady, gifted player, who seems to be at his best when the game is on the line … repeatedly rallied the Buckeyes last year, turning in key plays in narrow wins over Cincinnati, Wisconsin, Purdue, Illinois, Michigan and Miami on the march to the national championship … his clutch 17-yard completion to Michael Jenkins on fourth-and-14 in the first overtime of the Miami game enabled the Buckeyes to tie the score and force the second extra session … is the first Ohio State signal caller since Cornelius Greene (1974-75) to lead the Buckeyes to consecutive victories over Michigan … spends countless hours studying film and is a true “field general” … has few peers when it comes to getting his team out of a bad play and into a play that will work against whatever defense has been called … had played a total of 70 minutes in 10 games heading into last year … his 2,453 career passing yards place him 10th on OSU’s all time list just ahead of Rex Kern (2,444, 1968-70), who led the Buckeyes to theh 1968 national title … is a deceptively strong runner who won’t hesitate to lower his shoulder … named to the Big Ten’s All-Academic team and was a second-team Academic All-America as a junior … also received the Socrates Award following the season … the latter is presented by The Sporting News in conjunction with The March of Dimes, and goes to a student-athlete who has excelled in both athletics and academics during the previous year.

2002 Season: Selected by his teammates as Co-MVP … guided the Buckeyes to their first unbeaten season since 1968 and a Division IA record 14 victories … ran for the winning touchdown at Cincinnati with 3:44 to play, pulling down the ball, shaking off a tackler at the 1-yard line and then lunging for the end zone in a 23-19 win … hit tight end Ben Hartsock on a 3-yard TD pass in the fourth quarter at Wisconsin, putting Ohio State on top to stay at 19-14 … in what was arguably the play of the year in college football, he threw a perfect 37-yard touchdown pass to Michael Jenkins (into the teeth of a strong wind) on fourth down at Purdue with 1:36 to play, lifting OSU to a 10-6 victory … came up with a key 14-yard scramble on third-and-10 in overtime at Illinois that set up the Buckeyes’ winning touchdown … completed 59.4 percent of his passes and ranked 14th nationally in passing efficiency with a 140.90 figure … tied a school record by completing 12-consecutive passes (his last throw against Texas Tech and his first 11 against Kent State) … set personal highs against San Jose State, throwing for 241 yards and three touchdowns … his 57-yard completion to Chris Gamble in the bowl game was his longest completion of the year … had 2,478 yards in total offense, which ranks as the fifth-best one-season in OSU annals … 22 of his 29 completions on third downs resulted in first downs.

2002 Media Guide: Craig Krenzel heads into the fall as the leading candidate to replace three-year starter Steve Bellisari at quarterback … started the Michigan and South Carolina games last year after Bellisari was suspended … extremely smart player who spends countless hours studying film … understands the offense, makes few mistakes and has been able to keep the team out of negative plays, albeit in limited action … comfortable in the pocket, but certainly athletic enough to roll out or scramble out of trouble … has a strong, accurate arm … has played in a total of 10
games for a total of 70 minutes, but is easily the Buckeyes’ most experienced signal caller … ran the team with poise and confidence in the Michigan game last year, guiding the Buckeyes to an emotional 26-20 win.

2001 Season: Came off the bench against Illinois and completed 11 of 23 passes for 164 yards and a touchdown in his first action of the year … started the following week at Michigan and directed the Buckeyes to their first win in Ann Arbor since 1987 … completed five of just nine passes against the Wolverines, but directed the offense with a poise and presence that belied the fact it was his first collegiate start … started the bowl game, but saw only limited action … had played in just seven games prior to Illinois.

2001 Media Guide: Craig Krenzel is one of three backup quarterbacks behind Steve Bellisari … will continue to battle for position on the depth chart and playing time in the fall … listed as the No. 3 coming out of spring ball behind Bellisari and fellow sophomore Scott McMullen, but still very much in the thick of things … helped his cause dramatically by having his two best practices on the last two days of spring drills … led the Scarlet team to a 22-21 victory in the annual Scarlet & Gray game, scoring the winning touchdown on a 4-yard run … also threw a touchdown pass … the Buckeyes’ best pure pocket passer … named to the Big Ten’s All-Academic team.

2000 Season: Battled McMullen for the No. 2 spot all year long … played in seven games and completed five of nine passes for 57 yards … completed two-of-five passes for 27 yards against Fresno State and was two-for-three for 16 yards against South Carolina in the Outback Bowl.

2000 Media Guide: As quarterbacks coach Tim Salem told the Columbus Dispatch last year, a backup quarterback is only “an ankle sprain away” from stepping into the spotlight. Keeping that in mind, Ohio State couldn’t ask for a better situation with redshirt freshmen Craig Krenzel and Scott McMullen battling for that position. The tallest of the three OSU quarterbacks, Krenzel is a pure pocket passer that is very athletic and finished last season as the team’s third-string quarterback. “He’s a very poised young man that made great strides in his first year,” Salem said. “He’s fighting for the backup position now, and he’ll be a player here before it’s all said and done.”

1999: Redshirted.

1999 Media Guide: Rated as the No. 6 prospect in the state of Michigan by the Detroit News and one of the state’s top quarterbacks … Completed 110 of 200 passes for 1,760 yards and 20 touchdowns as a senior for Henry Ford II High … a USA Today honorable mention All-American … completed 114 of 220 passes for 1,350 yards and 10 touchdowns as a junior … brother, Brian, plays football for Duke … listed among the Top 100 prospects by the National Recruiting Advisor prior to senior season.

Personal: The son of Debbie and Allen Krenzel … his older brother, Brian, played football at Duke and is now in medical school at Louisville … would like to attend medical school himself after his career is over at Ohio State (he and Brian would be the first two medical doctors in the family) … hobbies are golf (10 handicap) and fishing … born July 1, 1981.