Joel Klatt
Encyclopedia
Joel Klatt is no longer a talk radio personality on 102.3FM "The Ticket" in Denver, Colorado, partnered with fellow former University of Colorado
(CU) Buffaloes
quarterback Charles "C.J." Johnson. Klatt played college football
for the University of Colorado
(CU) Buffaloes
before turning professional. He was the first 3 year starter at QB since Kordell Stewart
('92–'94). He also played minor-league baseball
for two seasons. He was not drafted in the 2006 NFL Draft
but he did attend the Detroit Lions
' and New Orleans Saints
' rookie
mini-camps after the draft. New Orleans signed him to a free-agent contract after their mini-camp, but then released him 11 days later on June 2, 2006. The Lions then claimed him off waivers less than a week later, but Klatt was released on August 27, 2006, before the start of the regular season.
. He was coached by his father, Gary Klatt, the head coach at Pomona High School
in Arvada, Colorado. As a junior on defense he had 4 interceptions playing in the secondary, helping the team to a 10–3 record, winning the Jefferson County league championship. As a senior at QB, he was 78–125 passes (62.4%) for 1,250 yards and 16 touchdowns leading the team to a 5–5 record and earning second-team all-state honors at QB. He also played basketball (3 time letterman) at guard and baseball primarily at shortstop earning first-team all-state his senior year and helped his team to runner-up in the state tournament. He earned the following records at his school at baseball: home runs (10), runs batted in (46), slugging percentage (1.126) and hits (52). He also set three summer school records, in homers (26), RBIs (99) and in slugging (1.147).
as a 3rd baseman with their 11th round pick. He played for Class A
Peoria
that summer where he led the team in doubles (12) and batted .209 with 1 HR and had 15 RBIs. In 2001, he was with Idaho Falls
(2 HR, 10 RBI, 3 SB). In 2002 he told himself if he did not move up to high-A ball, he would give college football a try. After he reported for spring training with Eugene
, he realized he would never make it in the Big Leagues. He then left the team and baseball and walked-on to Colorado.
North Champions this season and played in Alamo Bowl
.
The following year, Klatt earned the starting position at QB and went on to set 19 school records and tie one at QB. He earned all-Big 12 honors and Colorado's John Mack Award (CU's Offensive Player of the Year). He was 233–358 for 2,614 yards and 21 touchdowns. The first game of the season and Klatt's first game ever as starting QB for Colorado he was National Player of the Week by The Sporting News, SI.com and collegefootballnews.com and Big 12 Conference Offensive Player of the Week. He went 34–21 for 402 yards and 4 TDs winning the game with a 6-play, 75-yard drive with the winning touchdown with 40 seconds left in the game. He suffered a sprained shoulder injury during the Washington State game causing him to miss two starts against Florida State and Baylor. He returned from the injury with a record setting game against Kansas going 38–54 with 419 yards. His two 400-yard throwing games ranked 4th and 5th most passing yards in a game by a walk-on (or former walk-on) in NCAA Division I history prior to the 2005–06 season.
For the 2004 season, he started 12 games and played in all 13, being benched in the Iowa State game for lackluster performance. He was 192–334 for 2,065 yards and 9 TDs but had 15 interceptions. He was placed on scholarship status for this season, having played the previous two in walk-on status. He continued to set records at Colorado and led the team to the Big 12 Conference North title, losing the championship game to Oklahoma. He then went on to lead his team to victory in the Houston Bowl
against UTEP. He set 8 school records and recorded his first and only reception going for 18 yards on a throwback with Bernard Jackson
against Texas A&M
. He was on the official watch list for the Davey O'Brien Award
(one of 42 candidates), and Street & Smith’s selected him as an honorable mention pre-season All-America
n.
He again led the Buffs to the Big 12 North Title for the 2005 season and Colorado played in the Champs Sports Bowl
. However, Klatt's college career was ended in the Big 12 Championship Game against Texas when he suffered a concussion during the 70–3 blowout, the last game before the Bowl. He assisted the coaches during the bowl game
. During the season, he set many Colorado quarterback records.
Klatt was outspoken about the vicious hit that caused the season ending concussion in remarks about the NCAA. Typically, players and coaches are not allowed to criticize the NCAA, especially officials, but Klatt was no longer under NCAA control with his college career over when he made the comments, and thus the NCAA was powerless to do anything about it. His comments included him saying the NCAA is "terribly run," that "exploits athletes," and that "has its priorities out of whack." Further:
. He married Sara Ordway in May, 2005. His hobbies include golf, learning the guitar and being a Boston Red Sox
fan.
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
(CU) Buffaloes
Colorado Buffaloes
The University of Colorado Boulder sponsors 16 varsity sports teams. Both men's and women's team are called the Buffaloes or Golden Buffaloes . "Lady Buffs" referred to the women's teams beginning in the 1970s, but was officially dropped in 1993...
quarterback Charles "C.J." Johnson. Klatt played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for the University of Colorado
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
(CU) Buffaloes
Colorado Buffaloes
The University of Colorado Boulder sponsors 16 varsity sports teams. Both men's and women's team are called the Buffaloes or Golden Buffaloes . "Lady Buffs" referred to the women's teams beginning in the 1970s, but was officially dropped in 1993...
before turning professional. He was the first 3 year starter at QB since Kordell Stewart
Kordell Stewart
Kordell Stewart, nicknamed "Slash" , is a former American NFL quarterback. Stewart attended the University of Colorado and was drafted 60th in the 1995 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers...
('92–'94). He also played minor-league baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
for two seasons. He was not drafted in the 2006 NFL Draft
2006 NFL Draft
The 2006 National Football League Draft, the 71st in league history, took place in New York City at Radio City Music Hall on April 29 and April 30, 2006. For the 27th consecutive year, the draft was telecast on ESPN and ESPN2, with additional coverage offered by ESPNU and, for the first time, by...
but he did attend the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
' and New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
' rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
mini-camps after the draft. New Orleans signed him to a free-agent contract after their mini-camp, but then released him 11 days later on June 2, 2006. The Lions then claimed him off waivers less than a week later, but Klatt was released on August 27, 2006, before the start of the regular season.
High school career
Klatt was born in Arvada, ColoradoArvada, Colorado
The City of Arvada is a Home Rule Municipality located in Jefferson and Adams counties in the Denver metropolitan area of the U.S. State of Colorado. Olde Town Arvada is located northwest of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver...
. He was coached by his father, Gary Klatt, the head coach at Pomona High School
Pomona High School (Arvada, Colorado)
Pomona High School is a public secondary school operated by Jefferson County School District R-1 in Arvada, Colorado, United States.-History:Pomona High School was built in 1973 and named for the nearby Pomona Lakes. Located in Arvada, Colorado and a part of the Jefferson County Public School...
in Arvada, Colorado. As a junior on defense he had 4 interceptions playing in the secondary, helping the team to a 10–3 record, winning the Jefferson County league championship. As a senior at QB, he was 78–125 passes (62.4%) for 1,250 yards and 16 touchdowns leading the team to a 5–5 record and earning second-team all-state honors at QB. He also played basketball (3 time letterman) at guard and baseball primarily at shortstop earning first-team all-state his senior year and helped his team to runner-up in the state tournament. He earned the following records at his school at baseball: home runs (10), runs batted in (46), slugging percentage (1.126) and hits (52). He also set three summer school records, in homers (26), RBIs (99) and in slugging (1.147).
Professional Baseball
Klatt was drafted in 2000 by the San Diego PadresSan Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
as a 3rd baseman with their 11th round pick. He played for Class A
Class A
Class A may refer to:* Class A airfield, a standardised design for military airfields built throughout Britain from 1942* Class A airspace, an airspace class defined by the ICAO* class A amplifier, a category of electronic amplifier...
Peoria
Peoria Chiefs
The Peoria Chiefs are a Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Chicago Cubs, from Peoria, Illinois. They play in the Midwest League....
that summer where he led the team in doubles (12) and batted .209 with 1 HR and had 15 RBIs. In 2001, he was with Idaho Falls
Idaho Falls Chukars
The Idaho Falls Chukars are a minor league baseball affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. They play in Idaho Falls, Idaho, at Melaleuca Field which holds 3,400 fans. The dimensions of the ball park are 340'left, 400'center, 350'right. The playing surface is Natural Grass...
(2 HR, 10 RBI, 3 SB). In 2002 he told himself if he did not move up to high-A ball, he would give college football a try. After he reported for spring training with Eugene
Eugene Emeralds
The Eugene Emeralds is a minor league baseball team in Eugene, Oregon, United States. They are a short-season Class A team in the Northwest League, and have been a farm team of the San Diego Padres since 2001....
, he realized he would never make it in the Big Leagues. He then left the team and baseball and walked-on to Colorado.
College career
Klatt walked-on to Colorado as a quarterback in 2002. As a true freshman, he played in 3 games, mostly on the punt return team as a rusher/blocker against Missouri and Iowa State. Against Baylor, he performed mop-up duty throwing 3 passes, all falling incomplete. He is one of 4 true freshmen walk-ons to see action since 1986 for Colorado and was the Scout Team Offense Award Winner for the Colorado State game. The Buffs were Big 12Big 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...
North Champions this season and played in Alamo Bowl
Alamo Bowl
The Alamo Bowl is a major American college football bowl game played annually since 1993 in the 65,000-seat Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. It matches the second choice team from the Pacific-12 Conference and the third choice team from the Big 12 Conference.Traditionally, the Alamo Bowl has been...
.
The following year, Klatt earned the starting position at QB and went on to set 19 school records and tie one at QB. He earned all-Big 12 honors and Colorado's John Mack Award (CU's Offensive Player of the Year). He was 233–358 for 2,614 yards and 21 touchdowns. The first game of the season and Klatt's first game ever as starting QB for Colorado he was National Player of the Week by The Sporting News, SI.com and collegefootballnews.com and Big 12 Conference Offensive Player of the Week. He went 34–21 for 402 yards and 4 TDs winning the game with a 6-play, 75-yard drive with the winning touchdown with 40 seconds left in the game. He suffered a sprained shoulder injury during the Washington State game causing him to miss two starts against Florida State and Baylor. He returned from the injury with a record setting game against Kansas going 38–54 with 419 yards. His two 400-yard throwing games ranked 4th and 5th most passing yards in a game by a walk-on (or former walk-on) in NCAA Division I history prior to the 2005–06 season.
For the 2004 season, he started 12 games and played in all 13, being benched in the Iowa State game for lackluster performance. He was 192–334 for 2,065 yards and 9 TDs but had 15 interceptions. He was placed on scholarship status for this season, having played the previous two in walk-on status. He continued to set records at Colorado and led the team to the Big 12 Conference North title, losing the championship game to Oklahoma. He then went on to lead his team to victory in the Houston Bowl
Houston Bowl
The Houston Bowl is a now-defunct NCAA-sanctioned Division I-A college football bowl game that was played annually in Houston, Texas from 2000 to 2005. The game was originally known as the galleryfurniture.com Bowl in 2000 and 2001...
against UTEP. He set 8 school records and recorded his first and only reception going for 18 yards on a throwback with Bernard Jackson
Bernard Jackson (quarterback)
Bernard Jackson was a quarterback at Colorado. He played quarterback for the Santiago Sharks at Santiago High School in Corona, California...
against Texas A&M
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
. He was on the official watch list for the Davey O'Brien Award
Davey O'Brien Award
The Davey O'Brien Award, officially the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award, named after Davey O'Brien, is presented annually to the collegiate American football player adjudged by the Davey O'Brien Foundation to be the best of all National Collegiate Athletic Association quarterbacks. The...
(one of 42 candidates), and Street & Smith’s selected him as an honorable mention pre-season All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n.
He again led the Buffs to the Big 12 North Title for the 2005 season and Colorado played in the Champs Sports Bowl
Champs Sports Bowl
The Champs Sports Bowl is an annual college football bowl game that is played in Orlando, Florida, at the Citrus Bowl. The bowl is operated by Florida Citrus Sports, a non-profit group which also organizes the Capital One Bowl and Florida Classic...
. However, Klatt's college career was ended in the Big 12 Championship Game against Texas when he suffered a concussion during the 70–3 blowout, the last game before the Bowl. He assisted the coaches during the bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
. During the season, he set many Colorado quarterback records.
Klatt was outspoken about the vicious hit that caused the season ending concussion in remarks about the NCAA. Typically, players and coaches are not allowed to criticize the NCAA, especially officials, but Klatt was no longer under NCAA control with his college career over when he made the comments, and thus the NCAA was powerless to do anything about it. His comments included him saying the NCAA is "terribly run," that "exploits athletes," and that "has its priorities out of whack." Further:
"If they want to exploit us as athletes and sell our jerseys and put us on video games, then perhaps they should protect us on the field better, so that we can, in the future, get that compensation and possibly go to the NFL. … It seems like they’re more concerned with what guys do after the play and after they score, which is completely irrelevant to safety, or anything like that. But is a player who goes into the end zone and gets a little too excited, is that as important as someone who gets a head injury? I just think their priorities are a little out of whack."
Career football statistics
| Passing | Rushing | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | G | Att | Com | Int | Pct. | Yds | TD | Long | Att | Yds | Avg. | TD | Long |
| 2002 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | 11 | 358 | 233 | 10 | 65.1 | 2614 | 21 | 82 | 68 | -91 | -1.3 | 1 | 13 |
| 2004 | 13 | 367 | 216 | 15 | 58.9 | 2398 | 11 | 78 | 46 | -58 | -1.3 | 2 | 13 |
| 2005 | 12 | 399 | 241 | 8 | 60.4 | 2696 | 14 | 64 | 54 | 3 | 0.1 | 0 | 16 |
| Totals | 26 | 695 | 425 | 25 | 61.2 | 4679 | 30 | 82 | 107 | 133 | 1.2 | 3 | 13 |
Personal
Klatt grew up in Arvada, ColoradoArvada, Colorado
The City of Arvada is a Home Rule Municipality located in Jefferson and Adams counties in the Denver metropolitan area of the U.S. State of Colorado. Olde Town Arvada is located northwest of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver...
. He married Sara Ordway in May, 2005. His hobbies include golf, learning the guitar and being a Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
fan.
College honors
- National Player of the Week: August 30, 2003 (vs. Colorado State)
- John Mack Award (2003) (Colorado Award: Outstanding Offensive Player)
- Best Interview (2003) (Selected by Colorado Media)
- Eddie CrowderEddie CrowderEddie Crowder was an American football player and coach. He was an All-American quarterback and safety at the University of Oklahoma in the early 1950s and a successful head coach and athletic director at the University of Colorado in the 1960s and 1970s.He is quoted as saying "Life is boring...
Award (2004) (Colorado Award: Leadership)