PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Captain Krull, it truly sounds like an Avenger or X-Man. The last name was the main character in a 1983 science fiction movie. Captain Krull is reality, although it may have seemed like a fantasy for the Pitt tight end at one point of his career.
Senior Lucas Krull arrived on the Pitt campus just as the COVID wave started across the world in January 2020. Just able to start showing his skills in Spring practices, those were cut short and the Spring Game cancelled due to the pandemic. An abbreviated season would only be played, but Krull battled through injuries and played in only one game in 2020.
Imagine what the Kansas native must have been thinking heading into 2021. Krull was not only an outstanding football player, recruited and played 25 games at the University of Florida. Krull also drafted by the San Francisco Giants out of high school as an outstanding pitcher. He passed that up for football and now he’s a thousand miles away in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with one more year left.
He decided to battle through rehab, and even with other options open to him, he stuck with the Panthers. Krull regained a connection with Kenny Pickett and caught a touchdown pass in the season opener. He then caught a touchdown in his second game, a pair in his third game and another in his fifth game.
Krull finished the season with catches in every game but one, totaling 37 receptions for 443 yards and six touchdowns. Right before the Peach Bowl, he found out about another honor.
“It was a surprise because we were in a team meeting and coaches talking about captains and how great they’ve been all year,” Krull said. “He mentioned Kenny is not going to be there, our offensive captain, we are going to go off of when we decided these captains, everyone put in their votes (as to who would be for the bowl game). I guess I was the next man up.”
“I love this team. That’s what I told the guys when the Coach called my name and said I was going be the captain. I just told them there is a reason I’m playing this game. I was thinking about maybe not playing and looking for the future. At the end of the day, I’m living in the moment. That’s what I’ve done all year. I love this team and I told them one last ride we have to go out with a win.”
“I think he’s been a leader all off-season,” said senior offensive lineman Gabe Houy. “I think since he transferred the previous year, he wasn’t afraid to be a leader.”
“He’s a voice that we always look up to and to hear,” said another transfer and senior Marcus Minor. “Having him lead is like any other day, we expect it.”
“I think every day I show up with energy, enthusiasm and pride,” Krull said. “That’s something I’ve done since I stepped on campus at Pitt. My teammates had arms wide open when I came in. This year was that separating year to be that leader for this team.”
“It’s an incredible honor to have Coach do that for me. For the team to believe in me to hold this team to these expectations we have for one another. It’s truly an honor. It’s a feeling I can’t fully express because I’m very grateful.”
Coverage of the Peach Bowl begins Thursday at 3p with kickoff at 7p on 93.7 The Fan.