There are 54 days that separate us from Ohio State's march to Blacksburg. To help pass the time until the Buckeyes put the Sandman to sleep I will countdown Ohio State's top 100 players according to the rubric* listed at the bottom of this article.

Took advantage of an opportunity in 2001 and never looked back.

No. 54 CRAIG KRENZEL, QB (1999-2003)
Born: 1981 (Utica, That State)
High School: Herny Ford II
 

OHIO STATE CAREER

• The Ohio State Buckeyes were 46-17 with Krenzel on the team.
• 2002 National Champion.
• 2002 Big Ten Title.
• Defeated Miami 31-24 in Double OT to win the 2003 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Championship Game.
• Defeated Kansas State 35-38 to win the 2004 Fiesta Bowl.

HONORS

• 2003 Captain.
• 2003 National Foundation hall of Fame Scholarship.
• 2003 Today's Top VII Award.
• 2003 Socrates Award.
• 2003 Draddy Trophy.
• 2003 Academic All-American.
• 2003 Academic All-Big Ten.
• 2002 Academic All-Big Ten.
• 2001 Academic All-Big Ten.
• 2000 Academic All-Big Ten.
• 2003 Fiesta Bowl MVP.
• 2004 Fiesta Bowl MVP.

NFL DRAFT
Round 5 to the Chicago Bears with the 148th pick of the 2004 draft.

Craig Krenzel's Ohio State career per ohiostatebuckeyes.com:

Craig Krenzel was a two-year starter at quarterback for the Buckeyes. Taking over the offensive reins with almost no experience at the start of the 2002 season, the 6-4 signal caller led the Buckeyes to a share of the Big Ten title, the national championship and a perfect 14-0 record. At the end of the season, Krenzel was selected by his teammates as co-MVP. 

A little less than a month later he was named as the Offensive MVP in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, where he guided the Buckeyes to a thrilling 31-24 double overtime win over top-ranked Miami in the national title game. The leading rusher in the game, Krenzel’s fourth-and-14 completion to Michael Jenkins in the first overtime kept OSU’s title hopes alive.

In 2003, Krenzel directed OSU to an 11-2 record and a second consecutive win in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. After throwing four touchdown passes against Kansas State in the latter, he was again selected as the game’s Offensive MVP. Krenzel completed his career with a 24-3 mark as a starter, including a 2-1 record against Michigan.

An honors graduate in molecular genetics, he swept the most prestigious academic awards, including the National Football Foundation’s Draddy Trophy, the Socrates Award and the NCAA Today’s Top VII. He spent three seasons in the NFL before retiring. 
 

Illinois almost ruined the 2002 season, but Krenzel wouldn't let that happen:

Holy Buckeye:

National Championship Highlights:

The pass interference call that is often overlooked:

For more information on other players who wore No. 16 go here.

Sources- The Ohio State Team Guide, ohiostatebuckeyes.com and Wikipedia.com

ALL PLAYERS COVERED TO DATE