Joel Klatt - College Career

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 12 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 21–34 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-American.

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:

"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."