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The Last Page C By Darren Miller asey Kreiter isn't the most recognized player on the University of Iowa football roster and he likes it that way. After all, if you hear the name of a long-snapper during a television broadcast, it is typically for something negative: poor snap, penalty, missed block. Attending the University of Iowa provided other feathers in Kreiter's cap. First, a degree in science education gives him an option when his football playing days are over. "I'm glad I have opportunities and options," Kreiter said. "I want to be a teacher and coach. When I'm in the school, I can't wait to teach and coach. I can't wait "It's a compliment when people don't know who I am," to be a role model for young adults and help them said Kreiter during an address at an athletics departgrow. When I'm in football, I can't wait to play footment all-staff meeting Sept. 18 in the Feller Club Room ball." in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Second, spending five years at the University of Iowa While not being able to equate a name with Hawkeye helped him evolve into a man. jersey No. 61 might be a good thing for fans, missing "I have grown into something my parents can be proud an opportunity to get to know Kreiter is a shame. The of and I wouldn't have been able to do that without the senior from DeWitt, Iowa, wasn't highly recruited out of high school, but he elected to walk on at the Univer- help of everyone at the University of Iowa," Kreiter said. sity of Iowa because — in his words — it gave him the The same qualities that helped Kreiter become a better best chance to become the best football player he could football player also helped him become a better person. be. "(It is about) taking advantage of every day, know"Iowa gave me that opportunity," Kreiter said. ing you have to win every single day," Kreiter said. "If Once in Iowa City, Kreiter learned quickly to value the you're not getting better, you're getting worse. The guys who do well take advantage of (opportunities) every little things in life. Little things like appreciating beday. They go to class, learn, do things right, are on time, ing a long-snapper after unsuccessful attempts to play focusing every day and that's what matters. That is what linebacker or earn a spot on the defensive line. Iowa has taught me." "I wanted to be more than just a long-snapper, but I Kreiter's college career hasn't been without remorse. saw value in that position," Kreiter said. There was a span during the early part of his stay when So when then-senior Andy Schulze went down with an he questioned whether he belonged on a Division I injury, the Hawkeyes needed a long-snapper to fill in. football roster. Kreiter began writing a new chapter in head coach Kirk "I regret not knowing that my coaches wanted me to Ferentz's "Next man In" novel. play and knew I could play at Iowa when they recruited "They called on me to do a job and I said, 'OK, I can do me," Krieter said. "My first two years I was just happy this,'" Kreiter said. "It went well, and I ended up getting to be on the team, which isn't acceptable. It took me that job." two years to figure out that they recruited me here to His games are defined by how accurately and efficiently play, they didn't recruit me to be a member of the team. If I would have realized that my first year, where could he snaps a football to sophomore Connor Kornbrath. Kornbrath is the Hawkeyes' punter and holder on field I be now?" goals and point-after attempts. Kreiter is a three-time member of the Hawkeye football team's Leadership Group, and a two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection. 45