While many coaches claim statistics are not of real importance, they are everything to Jerod Kruse.
Kruse, who joined the university football staff as a defensive backs coach last spring, is now the sports information director for Baker University.
“We wanted somebody fresh that would bring something new to the institution,” Athletic Director Dan Harris said.
Harris said the combination of Kruse as both a coach and sports information director worked because it combined the salary, and made a good situation for faculty and students.
“You can see he wants the sports information department to be better than it has been in the past,” defensive back Davon Davis said.
Upgrading the Web site was one of Kruse’s first duties as sports information director.
“The biggest part of what I am doing is the Web site,” he said. “We wanted a reformatted look for the Web site so that it is more viewer friendly.”
Harris said the athletic site is the No. 1 hit on school Web sites. Therefore, it should be updated and accurate, and have quality compliance in reporting scores and statistics.
“We wanted our Web site to be a strong voice for the athletic department,” he said.
Kruse’s tasks also include coordinating statistics for each individual team and working as a liaison for the public relations office. Harris said he is confident Kruse will deliver.
“The biggest thing that stuck out to me was his work ethic,” Harris said.
Kruse coordinated defensive backs for six years at Emporia State University before joining the Wildcats last semester. He said the defense has a chance to be good this year.
“We are a more disciplined team than in the spring,” he said. “The players spend time here studying film to understand the game.”
Davis said Kruse teaches respect for coaches, as well as the game.
“He doesn’t coach his players to be players, he coaches his players to be coaches,” Davis said. “Through his techniques of coaching and knowledge, we should be real good in the defensive back field this season.”
Kruse said he appreciates the characteristics of Baker because of the smaller population.
“The teams here, and the campus and the athletes here are closer. There is more bonding,” he said.
