Paul Kruger
From NCAA College Football Information & Resource
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Paul Kruger (born Feb. 15, 1986 in Rexburg, Idaho) is a defensive lineman playing the end position for the University of Utah Utes in the NCAA college football tournament. Entering the collegiate ranks in 2004, Kruger had to wait three long years to finally get his first taste of NCAA football action. Kruger has fought a variety of setbacks in his life, most notably with regards to his health. But Kruger has shown remarkable resolve and resistance and has fought through those adversities to become one of the finest lineman to ever wear the Crimson and White.
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[edit] Personal Life
Paul is one of Paul and Jennifer Kruger's six children. He comes from an athletic family, with both of his parents once representing their former school back during their college days. His father (from New York) and mother (from Provo) are both Oregon State alumni, with the former playing for the Beavers' football team while the latter competed for the track and field squad. He has three younger brothers who all play football as well, one of whom is David Kruger, who like him is a defensive lineman for the Utes. Paul lists skiing (snow and water), snowboarding and rock climbing as his other sports.
When he was 14, Paul was involved in a four-wheeling accident in the mountains when a jeep rolled and smashed his midsection. He was able to survive after being in ICU for three weeks, but unfortunately lost a kidney in the accident. After his recovery, he actually did not plan to play football or any contact sports for that matter but he was eventually cleared to play. He however needs to wear a protective back flap to protect his one kidney.
As for his jersey number, Paul said that although it looks funny and unusual (since most defensive linemen wore 98s and 99s), he chose no.11 because it was his number in high school and it is his favorite number. Living in the Utah county, Paul said that although he grew up around BYU fans, he was a Utah supporter eversince.
[edit] High School
Kruger played high school football at Timpanogos High in Orem, Utah. He played as a quarterback, lettered for four years, and captained for head coaches Frank Bramall and Darren DeGracie. He was part of the Timberwolves team that posted its first ever winning season in 2002 with a 9-3 overall record and a 3-1 league standing enroute to earning a quarterfinals berth in the Class 4A. Kruger was named as an all-conference and preseason All-American quarterback as a senior in 2003 and was ranked in the top 30 quarterbacks nationally by Student Sports. He was also an honor roll in high school.
[edit] College
A two-star rated prospect, Kruger was ranked as the no.76 QB recruit by Scout.com. He gave his verbal commitment to then Utah head coach Urban Meyer in September of 2003. Among the schools that offered him scholarships include BYU, Oregon, and Oregon State.
[edit] 2004
Upon his arrival in Utah, then defensive coordinator Kyle Whittingham said that the coaches gave Kruger a chance to play quarterback, about 36 hours, to see if he had what it took to be Utah's QB. It didn't work out. And so the staff thought that he would be better off as a lineman, either as a tight end or as a defensive end. He came close to playing that year but the coaches decided to redshirt him during the Utes' exciting undefeated Fiesta Bowl season.
[edit] 2005-06
In January, Kruger left on an LDS mission to Missouri.
[edit] 2007
Upon his return, Kruger was back on the roster as a reserve. In his first ever college game at Oregon State, he totalled five tackles in the 7-24 loss. The following week, he also had five more tackles with half a tackle for loss in the 12-20 setback to Air Force. After playing well in his first two games, Kruger was rewarded with a start in week three against No.11 UCLA. In that game, he tallied six tackles and his first ever career interception which he returned for 24 yards as the Utes upset the Bruins, 44-6. At UNLV, he registered 8 stops, including 1 for a loss, with a pass break up in the shut-out loss to the Rebels. At Utah State, he established his career high in tackles with 10, including 1 for a loss as the Utes won its first of what turned out to be a 7-game winning streak. He also contributed two stops at Louisville, three against San Diego State, 1 at TCU, three and his first career sack (half) at Colorado State, 2 against Wyoming, and six with a season high 1.5 sacks against New Mexico. He also recorded his first career forced fumble against the Lobos. In the season-ender against No.23 BYU, he was limited to 2 tackles as the Utes bowed out with a 10-17 come-from-behind defeat. In his first bowl game against Navy in the Poinsettia Bowl, Kruger tied his personal best of 10 tackles with 1.5 for losses and a six-yard sack in the 35-32 win.
He finished the year as the team's fourth leading-tackler with 63 stops and 7.5 for a loss, third-team leading 3 sacks, five PBUs, a forced fumble and three fumble recoveries in 13 appearances and 11 starts. His 63 tackles were the most among the league's freshman linemen and the second-best freshman total at any position. Among his postseason accolades include Freshman All-American second-team selections from The Sporting News and Scout.com and an honorable mention pick from the league.
[edit] 2008
On the eve of January 19, Kruger got severely injured in a stabbing incident that also involved his brother Dave and teammate Greg Newman. He was stabbed in the ribs and abdomen with a knife while Newman was stabbed twice in the back with a screwdriver. He underwent four hours of surgery at the University Hospital. Kruger was released less than a week after and eventhough he was not expected to be back on the field, he still joined the team during the spring. With his condition, he was limited to light contact early on as normally it would take seven to eight months to fully heal from surgery.
With his fine showing as a freshman, Kruger received All-MWC first team honors during the preseason from several media outlets. In the season-opening upset win at Michigan, Kruger led the defense with nine tackles, including 2.5 for losses, with half a sack and a pass break up as the Utes limited the Wolverines to 36 yards rushing, 167 yards passing, and a 3-of-14 completion on third downs. Against UNLV, he had five tackles with 1.5 TFLs and a PBU as Utah dumped the Rebels, 42-21. At Utah State, Kruger produced a new personal high of five tackles for losses that include four quarterback sacks (tied the school record) for 24 yards total loss in a very convincing 58-10 win. He also chipped in a QB hurry and a forced fumble in that game. At Air Force, he contributed five tackles, with 2.5 TFLs and a pass break up in a 30-23 victory. After a 2-tackle effort in the win over Weber State, Kruger chipped in three tackles, a 7-yard sack, a QBH, and a forced fumble in the close 31-28 win over Oregon State. He also contributed five and seven tackles in wins over Wyoming and Colorado State, respectively. At the halfway point of the season, Kruger was named as a midseason All-American by several media outlets, including Scout.com, CBSSports.com, SI.com, and Phil Steele.
At New Mexico, he posted six stops, including a 9-yard sack as the Utes escape with a 13-10 win. Against #11 TCU, he only had two tackles, but one was a 12-yard sack that forced the Horned Frogs to punt in another 13-10 Utah win. After finishing the San Diego State game with a season low 1 tackle, he came up big when his services were needed the most when he turned up with an all-around game in the 48-24 victory over rival and #14 BYU. Against the Cougars, he recovered a crucial Max Hall fumble in the third that paved the way for a Utes touchdown early in the 4th that extended Utah's lead to 10. In the ensuing possession, he also came up with a crucial interception when he dropped back into pass coverage and took the pigskin 30 yards to the BYU 4, once again leading to a Ute touchdown that practically sealed the deal for Utah's MWC championship victory. He finished that game with six stops and two pass break-ups and was eventually named as the MWC Co-Defensive Player of the Week.
Prior to his second straight bowl game appearance, Kruger was named into the All-MWC First Team and was selected as an honorable mention All-American by SI.com. Against Alabama at the Sugar Bowl, Kruger had five solo stops, including one for a 4-yard loss as Utah defeated the 4th ranked Crimson Tide, 31-17. He finished the season as the Utes' leaderin tackles for loss (16.5, 2nd in the MWC) and sacks (7.5, 3rd in the MWC), to go with his 61 tackles, seven pass break-ups, two forced fumbles, an interception, and a fumble recovery.
[edit] Post Utah
On Jan. 12, Kruger released a statement that he would relinquish his remaining NCAA eligibility to enter the 2009 NFL Draft.
[edit] Career Stats
| Interceptions | Tackles | Tackles for Loss | Sacks | Misc | ||||||||||||||
| Year | Int | Yds | TD | Int/G | Solo | Asst | Total | Ttl/G | TFL | TFLYds | TFL/G | Sacks | SckYds | Sck/G | PBU | QBH | FF | Blk |
| 2007 | 1 | 24 | 0 | 0.08 | 24 | 39 | 63 | 4.85 | 7.5 | 33 | 0.58 | 3.0 | 22 | 0.23 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2008 | 1 | 30 | 0 | 0.08 | 31 | 30 | 61 | 4.69 | 16.5 | 75 | 1.27 | 7.5 | 52 | 0.58 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
[edit] Highlights
| Paul Kruger's Post-scrimmage Interview, 08.16.08. (from The Zone) |
[edit] Achievements
[edit] 2008
- All-Mountain West Preseason Team (Media)
- All-MWC First Team
- Athlon Sports Preseason All-Mountain West First Team
- Athlon Sports' No.4 Player in the MWC top 20
- Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook Preseason All-Mountain West
- CBSSports.com Midseason All-American Team
- CollegeFootballNews.com honorable mention All-American
- CollegeFootballNews.com Preseason All-Mountain West First Team
- MWC Defensive Player of the Week (vs. BYU)
- Phil Steele All-MWC First Team
- Phil Steele Midseason All-American Second Team
- Phil Steele Midseason All-MWC First Team
- Phil Steele Preseason All-Mountain West First Team
- SI.com honorable mention All-American
- SI.com Midseason All-American First Team
- Scout.com First Team Midseason All-American Defense
[edit] 2007
- All-Mountain West honorable mention
- CollegeFootballNews.com third team Freshman All-American
- CollegeSportsReport.com first-team Redshirt Freshman All-American
- Scout.com second-team Freshman All-American
- The Sporting News second-team Freshman All-American
[edit] References
- Close call -- After brush with death, Paul Kruger is happy to be
- Details emerge in assault on U. players
- Former Timp star now a starter
- Paul Kruger Cfbstats.com
- Paul Kruger Scout.com Profile
- Paul Kruger Utah Profile
- Timpanogos High is considered a football power
- Utah's Kruger grew up with the rivalry
