March
4,
2005
–
Craig
Krenzel,
quarterback
for
the
Chicago
Bears,
keeps
his
eye
on
the
goal
both
on
and
off
the
field.
KRENZEL
FINISHED
his
rookie
year
with
the
Chicago
Bears
in
January,
2005
after
a
great
college
career
guiding
the
Ohio
State
Buckeyes
to
a
National
Championship
in
2002
and
an
overall
24-3
record
as
a
starter.
More
important
to
fans
is
that
he
was
2-1
against
Michigan.
That’s
a
lot
of
footballs
that
Krenzel
had
a
hand
in
getting
over
the
goal
line.
But
his
sharp
focus
on
the
goal
applies
to
his
life
off
of
the
field
as
well.
At
Ohio
State
University,
Krenzel
majored
and
graduated
in
Molecular
Genetics.
Students
in
his
classes
were
looking
to
go
on
to
medical
school,
dental
school,
vet
school
or
research.
Krenzel’s
plans
are
to
become
a
doctor
but
for
now,
that
career
will
have
to
wait
until
his
NFL
career
is
over.
Krenzel
won
many
awards
for
his
academic
achievements
while
in
college
including
the
Draddy
Award
–
the
Academic
Heisman.
He
also
received
a
National
Football
Foundation
Hall
of
Fame
post-graduate
scholarship
and
earned
All-Big-Ten
honors
three
times
while
at
Ohio
State.
Krenzel
currently
has
three
years
left
on
a
four-year
contract
with
the
Bears
but
according
to
Krenzel,
nothing
is
guaranteed
in
the
NFL
as
the
contracts
are
one-sided
–
in
favor
of
the
team
owners.
But
that
doesn’t
bother
Krenzel.
“I’m
goal-oriented
and
very
driven.
I
always
have
to
have
a
full
plate
and
do
them
all
well,”
Krenzel
said.
Whenever
his
NFL
career
is
over,
he’ll
be
ready
for
medical
school.
Having
balanced
tough
classes
with
the
demands
of
being
the
star
quarterback
for
the
Buckeyes,
Krenzel
knows
lots
of
stress.
He
is
quick
to
point
out
that
there
are
just
so
many
hours
in
the
day.
It’s
all
about
setting
priorities
to
make
it
through
the
physically
demanding
football
schedule
and
the
courses,
Krenzel
said.
“I
knew
I
had
to
do
well
in
school
to
go
into
medicine
but
also,
it
kind
of
came
easy
to
me,”
Krenzel
said.
“I’ve
always
had
an
analytical
mind.”
Krenzel
credits
an
English
teacher
with
inspiring
him
to
set
high
goals
and
go
after
them
with
great
effort.
“I’m
not
big
on
sitting
around,”
Krenzel
said.
To
young
kids
who
want
to
make
it
big
on
the
football
field
and
do
well
in
school,
Krenzel
simply
says
it
doesn’t
have
to
be
one
or
the
other.
Both
can
be
done
well.
“It’s
all
about
what
your
priorities
are,”
Krenzel
said.
“Ohio
State
University
was
the
best
place
for
me
for
both
athletics
and
football.”
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