Krenzel vs. Navarre: A tale of 2 quarterbacks
Published 12:00 am Friday, November 21, 2003
Krenzel proving he deserves QB position
STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. - Craig Krenzel has always wanted to play quarterback.
And he always has. Well, almost.
When he was 7, Krenzel played organized ball for the first time, giving snaps on the flag football team coached by his father.
''He was a center because there was an 8-year-old who was definitely deserving of the position at quarterback,'' dad Allen Krenzel said. ''I couldn't in all honesty put Craig ahead of him.''
Krenzel, who grew up in Sterling Heights, secured the quarterback job the following season and has been there ever since, his father said.
Now Krenzel is Ohio State's starting quarterback. He holds a 2-0 career mark in the all-important regular season-ending game with Michigan.
On Saturday, he'll lead the Buckeyes into Ann Arbor as the teams play for the 100th time in one of college football's all-time great rivalries.
The teams are playing for the Big Ten title and Ohio State is playing for a return trip to the national championship game.
Krenzel's parents said his dream to play college football began at Henry Ford II High School.
Once he started working with coach Terry Copacia in the ninth grade, Debbie Krenzel said her son gained a new perspective on the game.
''He buckled down, really took it seriously and really learned from the man,'' she said.
Copacia, then a first-year coach, said Krenzel was a gangly freshman with raw talent when they first met.
''He had that quick release, nice feet and he had the height factor, that's what played out early,'' Copacia said. ''His intelligence factor started to play a big role. He became a student of the game at a real early age.''
The turning point, according to Copacia, was in a game against Brighton High and junior quarterback Drew Henson. Krenzel, a sophomore at the time, entered the game with seven minutes remaining, threw two touchdowns and came within a field goal of winning the game.
''Some of the things he did in that setting showed me that this kid might be something special,'' Copacia said. ''I thought this was the blue chip kid I was hoping to have someday.''
Copacia made a short highlight reel of Krenzel's best plays and sent it to 20 schools. He got verbal offers from Ohio State, Stanford, Wake Forest, Boston College, Duke, as well as Michigan and Michigan State, Allen Krenzel said.
''At that point, I was kind of debating between Ohio State, Michigan and Michigan State. I liked all three schools,'' Krenzel said, adding that he never rooted for Michigan or Michigan State while growing up.
''While I was young, my dad and I were Notre Dame fans,'' he said.
Michigan backed off after signing Henson, his dad said.
Krenzel, who is majoring in molecular genetics, said academics and location were factors that sold him on Ohio State. He said he was looking for a school not too close to home with a rich football tradition and a good pre-med program.
But his family thinks it was a drive down to Columbus with older brother Brian, who was living in North Carolina at the time, to watch spring practice.
''It was an unofficial visit. We kind of wandered around and met some of the coaches. It just kind of all clicked that day,'' Debbie Krenzel said.
Brian Krenzel, who played football at Duke, stood quietly in the background, watching the atmosphere. Debbie Krenzel said she remembers him saying to Craig, ''This is what college football is all about.''
The Krenzels say Copacia was instrumental in their son's maturation at quarterback, working with him on Saturdays, often while grading papers.
''He'll never say it. He's too humble of a guy. But there's no doubt the only reason I am where I am today is because I was fortunate to be coached by Terry Copacia,'' Krenzel said. ''He's a guy who knows the position just as well if not better than anyone I've ever been coached by.''
Copacia said he talks once a week over the phone with his former protege, giving encouragement and constructive criticisms.
''I'm still his coach as far as I'm concerned,'' Copacia said. ''I'm still telling him what he's doing wrong when I see him on TV.''
Tucked in the corner of the Krenzel family room are reminders of son Craig's accomplishments during his collegiate career.
Hanging on the wall is an Associated Press photo of his touchdown dive against Illinois, two framed Sports Illustrated covers and other items.
''We have to be cautious with our other children. We can't make a shrine,'' Debbie Krenzel said.
Don't expect to find such reminders cluttering up Krenzel's apartment in Columbus.
During a trip this past spring, Krenzel was packing away memorabilia from the 2002 championship season. His mom asked what he was doing. She said he replied, '''That's last year, gotta move on.' I said 'OK, I'll take your trophy.'''
Outcome will define Navarre’s legacy
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - John Navarre's name is secure in Michigan's record book.
His legacy in Wolverines lore is not.
Navarre is atop a slew of Michigan career and season passing records, but those accomplishments are marred by an 0-2 record against Ohio State.
Some believe the senior has to lead the fifth-ranked Wolverines to a win against the No. 4 Buckeyes to be remembered as one of the best quarterbacks to wear a winged helmet.
''You have to block that out because that's just part of the hype,'' Navarre said Monday. ''You can't focus on that when you're preparing for this game.
''But obviously, how you do against Ohio State is a big part of any career here.''
Navarre has one last chance to improve his mark in the rivalry when the Wolverines (9-2, 6-1 Big Ten) play Ohio State (10-1, 6-1) at home Saturday. The outright Big Ten title and an automatic Bowl Championship Series bid are at stake.
Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said it is not right that one game could define the career of any player.
''What defines you is your character,'' Carr said.
However, teammate Grant Bowman, who grew up in Columbus, Ohio, understands why Navarre's legacy hinges on the outcome of the Ohio State game.
''It's probably unfair, but there's a lot of things in life that are unfair,'' Bowman said. ''In big games like this, the opportunities are bigger and the chance for loss bigger. That's what you've got to love about it as a competitor. If you don't love that, you probably shouldn't be in the game.''
Navarre, a candidate for two national quarterback awards, is finishing his much-maligned career strong.
The native of Cudahy, Wis., has thrown a Big Ten-best 21 touchdowns, with just eight interceptions.
Navarre is 218 yards from being the first Michigan quarterback to throw for 3,000 yards in a season and is two TDs short of Elvis Grbac's career mark of 71. He has completed 67.9 percent of his fourth-quarter passes for eight TDs and only one interception.
But those numbers will pale next to Navarre's 0-3 record against Ohio State if the Wolverines don't win Saturday, especially because of his previous two performances in the series.
Last season in a 14-9 setback, he was 23-of-46 for 247 yards with two turnover. He fumbled with 2:02 left and then threw a game-ending interception short of the end zone.
''You want to focus on those plays, and not repeat them,'' he said.
Navarre threw for 206 yards with two touchdowns, four interceptions and a fumble in a 26-20 loss two years ago.
He said it's difficult to create positive plays while doing everything possible to avoid mistakes.
''The fine line is so fine that it will be the difference between a Big Ten championship and the Rose Bowl,'' he said. ''In this type of game, mistakes will cost you a ring and a BCS bid.''
Carr said Navarre has had an outstanding season and career, but because he started so young at Michigan, he's had ups and downs.
As a redshirt freshman in 2001, Navarre started the first four games for an injured Drew Henson. He started strong against weak opponents, then struggled in a loss at UCLA and for a half at Illinois before being replaced by Henson.
When Henson decided to skip his senior season to play baseball, Navarre threw more TDs (19) than interceptions (13). But he didn't play well in losses against Washington, Michigan State, Ohio State and Tennessee.
After his job was in jeopardy the next spring, he responded. Navarre threw 21 TDs and just seven interceptions in a 10-win season. Again, naysayers pointed to his one TD and two interceptions in Michigan's three losses.
Carr recently said Navarre will make more money than most of his critics next year when he's playing in the NFL.
''As an individual, he's special,'' Carr said Monday. ''There's no tougher man anywhere than John Navarre.''