Today's featured player could possibly earn the starting position at fullback, or will end up splitting time with fellow fullback Derek Jackson. Either way, Kurt Freytag has waited for a chance to see the playing field and this is the year that he will most likely get it.
Kurt Freytag - Jr. (RS)
Hometown: Carmel, IN (Carmel HS)
Fullback
6'2", 237 pounds
2012 Projection: Possible starter at fullback
Kurt Freytag came to Purdue as a walk-on from Carmel High School where he won a state championship in 2007 and was a runner-up in 2006 and 2008. So one thing that Freytag brings to the Boilermakers is a winning attitude, and with a winning attitude comes competitiveness; you can't have enough guys like that.
While Freytag was playing at Carmel, the Boilers were recruiting his teammates Jordan Brewer and Morgan Newton. Their Carmel football stories go like this: Newton ended up going to play for Kentucky, Brewer was academically ineligible, and Freytag was able to walk on to our squad. Freytag was also a high school teammate of former long-snapper John Finch.
Now that Dan Dierking is out of the picture we need a bruising, hard-nosed running-back that isn't afraid to lower his shoulder and take some contact, or block for a more speedy back. I see Freytag filling in that position very well.
This post also marks the first time where Freytag is not sharing a number with former Boilermaker Kevin Ballinger. Ballinger and Freytag have been sharing numbers their whole walk-on careers and seemed to form a bond over that. Ballinger was known for his goofy antics and comical blogging. In this video, Ballinger interviews Freytag on basically nothing important, just stupid funny stuff. I found myself laughing out loud a few times during the interview, so I recommend watching it.
Kurt Freytag is also active on Twitter. Follow him at @Tagfrey