Q&A: Paul Kruger, DE, Utah

We have you listed at 6' 5” and somewhere between 255-265. Is that accurate?

Kruger: Yes sir, you have it pretty accurate, I'm right at 260.

Going into the season, did you have in the back of your mind that if you had a good season you would declare?

Kruger: To be honest with you I really didn't think about it until the very end of the season, towards the bowl game. It really wasn't on my mind at all during the beginning of the season, and then things started to unfold. I really felt like I needed to think about it and at least give it a consideration in my mind. As I went through that process, it became more clear to me what I wanted to do.

Utah finished 13-0. One of the biggest wins was over Oregon St. – pretty ironic wasn’t it?

Kruger: Definitely, it was a huge game and it came down to the end. It took a lot of heart from a lot of people, and it was a spectacular game to play in.

Were you recruited by OSU, and if so, why did you choose Utah?

Kruger: Yes, actually they were the first team to offer me a scholarship, so I have a lot of respect for the coaching staff and what kind of program they have. I took a trip there, I really like Corvallis, I think it's a great place. Utah was the school for me because of the fact that, at the time, they wanted me to play quarterback, which was my original position, and that was real important to me. It was close to home, I felt like the deal with my mission was easily resolved because they were familiar with the LDS church and the work they did there. And they had past guys go on missions and come back and be productive, so I really felt like that was the best fit for me.

You’ve had a couple of potential life-changing experiences off the field – positive and negative. Tell us about your Latter Day Saints Mission in Kansas and Missouri. What is a typical day like?

Kruger: A typical day includes anything from walking the streets to find people to teach about Scripture of Jesus Christ and the Church, or setting-up appointments with people to do service, establishing fund raisers, anything you can think of where you're serving people in the name of the Church and in the name of Jesus Christ. That's just a basic list of what I did for two years. It was a great experience, I loved it, I grew from it and I'm glad I went.

How difficult was it coming back in 2007 after not running or lifting for two years?

Kruger: I think the main thing was just getting back. I got back at a great time, and I got back right after the season on December 23. I was able to have a whole spring ball, a whole summer to get ready and get my body prepared. The mission does a lot of great things for you, the thing it doesn't do for you is to sustain your athleticism, your coordination, your physique. That took a lot of hard work and dedication - hours-on-end after the team had already left, to stay in the weight-room to try and get your body and your mind ready for the season.

Last season you were assaulted – specifically you were stabbed in the back twice which caused one of your lungs to collapse. How scary was that experience?

Kruger: That was a bad deal, just one of those freak things you think will never happen to you and you don't expect. It was a chaotic and traumatic experience. It was something I learned and grew from.

How long did it take for you to recover? Did you wonder if you would play again?

Kruger: When I was in the hospital after surgery I was concerned about my status, as far as football, how it was going to affect me. The doctors let me know pretty quickly that it wouldn't affect me in that way, and that I'd be fine, that it would just take time for my body to recover from what happened. The only negative thing that came out of it as far as football goes was that it didn't allow me to have a full off-season to prepare for the 2008 season. After I recovered fully and started lifting and running again, I hit the ground running and was able to get back into almost 100 percent condition before the season.

You also lost a kidney and your spleen in car accident when you were 13 and I read where your mom said you are wearing out your guardian angels. Do you ever feel that way?

Kruger: I've definitely had some close calls. They've been experiences physically that have been very negative and traumatic, but on the other hand I'm learning and I'm growing tremendously. I feel like I've stayed alive, and it really has put things into perspective in my life. But it's crazy to kind of be in those situations more often than you would ever wish upon anybody, or would think would ever happen to you. It's been pretty wild but I'm just blessed and happy to be here.

So it must be fun training, not dealing with any outside issues, and to be at your peak physical condition and ready to go.

Kruger: For sure. I mean it's awesome to come out here – I'm in Florida – you get the warm weather, you know, just working hard, getting ready and showing what you can do. I love the competitive environment. Training with these guys, pushing your body. It's all exciting to me.

How different was the training for the combine, as opposed to the training you would do to get ready for the season?

Kruger: It's 100 percent different. It's shifting your mindset from game-mode to basically track-mode. Working on areas like running and jumping, things that are very different than preparing for a football game. So instead of conditioning, hitting, and doing drills and that kind of stuff, you're working more on your form and your body position, all that kind of stuff that helps you run better, run more effectively in the 40. You do also work on some power stuff with the jumping and the drills and stuff like that. It is a 100 percent change. It's all technique, aligning your body correctly instead of getting prepared for the season with the hitting, conditioning, and basically just getting ready for the game.

How do you prepare for the interview process?

Kruger: You really don't. You just try and be yourself. You work on trying to be presentable, giving them your best personality – your best side – but really, you just want to be yourself. I think those guys have been around long enough and are very intelligent people, they know when you're trying to fool them or just telling them what they want to hear. I think it's important to show your personality and just be yourself.

As a football player, I got “my blank” from my dad (Played at OSU)?

Kruger: Heart.

I got “my blank” from my mom (Athlete)?

Kruger: Height, she is a tall lady and she gave me some height.

What do you miss most about playing QB?

Kruger: Having the ball in my hands every play and being the leader of the team.

Photo Credit: College Press Box (Utah University)