University of Connecticut Athletics
Meet The Spring Game Honorary Coaches: Ryan Krug
4/8/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
April 8, 2010
The last time Ryan Krug took part in a University of Connecticut football game, he was doing his part in the Huskies first ever bowl game - the 2004 Motor City Bowl. The team captain led the rest of the offensive line in a performance that was good enough for the Huskies to post a 39-10 win over Toledo at Ford Field.
Krug returns to the UConn football scene on Saturday, April 17, as he serves as one of five honorary coaches for the annual Blue-White Spring Football Game. Krug will form one coaching staff with his fellow 2004 team captains Dan Orlovsky and Alfred Fincher, while Donald Brown and Tyler Lorenzen will be on the other side. The game kicks off at noon and parking and admission are both free.
The game will give Krug a chance to see that the Motor City Bowl banner at Rentschler Field has gained some company since he left.
While UConn football has continued its transformation in the past six years, so has Krug. Orlovsky and Fincher were able to pursue careers in football, but Krug hit a roadblock. After a year on the New England Patriots practice squad in 2005, Krug hurt his foot.
"After I hurt my foot, I decided to move back home and see what else I could accomplish," said Krug. Once he was back in his native New Jersey, he attended the police academy and became an officer. He's working in New Jersey and living with his wife, whom he married in February.
But on April 17, Krug will be back in Connecticut where he spent five years with Coach Randy Edsall and his staff.
"I try to get back every so often to a game," he said. "It's nice to see the staff and trainers -- the people you've had personal relationships with."
The Spring Game weekend will probably be more special than that, as Krug, Orlovsky, and Fincher spent four years together in blue and white.
"I'm looking forward to touching base with the guys and talking about life," said Krug.
While they're talking about their life since UConn football, they will also be coaching one of the teams in the spring game together. More recent Huskies will be coaching against them in Brown and Lorenzen. The latter coaching staff probably wouldn't have experienced their success at Connecticut if not for the efforts of Krug and his teammates.
"I was there when Coach (Edsall) first got there, and he's accomplished so much since then," said Krug. "He's just looking to build off what all of us did in the past, and bringing us back as honorary coaches is just another way for the kids to be inspired and know what to look forward to."
Krug will indeed be an inspiration to the current players when they find out what he accomplished in his years in Storrs. On a team that had just become Division I-A, Krug led an offensive line that allowed the third fewest sacks in the country in 2003 and led the BIG EAST in offense in 2004. As one of the team captains in 2004, he was named to the Second-Team All-BIG EAST and the groundbreaking Motor City Bowl victory that was so important for the program.
He says it's an honor to be invited back to UConn for something like this, and he will be able to offer some advice to the current players. "The number one thing is enjoy it while you're there. At times, it seems like the coaches might be a pain in your side, but always listen to them," Krug said. "They always want the best for you."
Krug is sure to take the coaching seriously, as he maintains the competitive spirit he had in all 44 games he started at UConn. When asked who would win in a game between his 2004 squad and this year's team, Krug responded, "My team - without question."
--Sean Soltys
