Zak Kustok

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Zak Kustok
Personal information
Born: (1979-02-24) February 24, 1979 (age 45)
Height:6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:203 lb (92 kg)
Career information
High school:Orland Park (IL) Sandburg
College:Northwestern
Position:Quarterback
Undrafted:2002
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only

Zak Adam Kustok (born February 24, 1979) is an American

touchdowns, career rushing yardage, career and single-season consecutive games with a touchdown pass and career consecutive pass attempts without an interception. He was a 2001 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
finalist.

Early life

As a sophomore, Kustok led Lincoln-Way Central High School to a SICA West championship.[2] By the time he was a sophomore during the 1994–95 school year, he was as well known as one of the best football prospects in the Chicago metropolitan area as he was as a scholar who ranked first in his class of 925 students.[3][4] He also started at point guard on the basketball team.[5]

In 1995 the Kustok family moved from

Sandburg High School,[7] and he led them to an 11–0 start to their season and a second round of the 1995 Class 6A playoffs win against Schaumburg High School before losing to Romeoville High School in the quarterfinals.[8][9] Entering his senior season in 1996, he was the top-rated quarterback in the Chicago area and one of 9 local players ranked among the nation's top 100.[10][11] Although he was a standout in football, he earned a Chicago Tribune prep athlete of the week award for his basketball performance both as a junior and as a senior.[12][13] In the spring, before his senior season, he announced that he intended to attend Notre Dame.[14] Kustok chose Notre Dame over Northwestern.[15] Kustok earned the 1997 Tribune Scholar Athlete of the Year award from the Chicago Tribune.[16]

Entering his senior season,

Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World against 14 other high school quarterbacks.[25]

College career

Kustok spent the

grade point average on a 4.0 scale.[16] He transferred to Moraine Valley Junior College near his family in Orland Park.[30] In December 1998, he committed to Kansas.[31][32] However, Kansas received a commitment from Dylen Smith,[33] and Kustok received offers from outgoing Northwestern coach Gary Barnett, who was transitioning to a new job as Colorado Buffaloes football head coach as well as an offer from Northwestern.[30] In February 1999, Kustok committed to Northwestern.[34][35] The following summer, incumbent quarterback Gavin Hoffman announced he was transferring to Penn.[36]

Upon transferring the date of his athletic eligibility was contested because although by all accounts Kustok left Notre Dame on September 28, his

NCAA settled with Kustok and granted him eligibility for the October 2 game based on the September 28 date.[38][39] Kustok made his debut after Northwestern fell behind Minnesota 14–0 in the game and head coach Randy Walker removed starter Nick Kreinbrink.[40][41] The following week, he started against Indiana.[42][43]

He was a 2001 finalist for the

Dan Alexander and Kyle Vanden Bosch of Nebraska.[45]

Kustok graduated with the following Northwestern football records,[46] many of which have been broken:[47]

  • single-season: total offense (3,272 in 2001; since broken by Mike Kafka in 2009), touchdown passes (20 in 2001, since broken by Brett Basanez in 2005), rush-pass plays (579 in 2001; since broken by Kafka), rushing touchdowns by a quarterback (11) and touchdowns responsible for (31 in 2001),
  • career: consecutive games with a TD pass (24), consecutive passes without an interception (277), most 200-yard passing games (14, since broken by Brett Basanez in 2005), touchdowns responsible for (64), rushing yardage by a quarterback (1,294) and rushing touchdowns by a quarterback (22)

Professional career

Kustok was signed by the

Berlin Thunder, and returned to the Packers on March 25. He was waived on June 17.[48][49] Kustok was signed by the Chicago Bears
to a two-year contract on March 26, 2004. He was released on May 2.

Personal life

Kustok is the son of Allan and the late Anita Kustok, as well as the brother of YES sports reporter, Sarah Kustok. His wife Nicole (née Kuznia) was named Minnesota's 1999 Junior Miss and was also a cross country runner at Northwestern. In 2014, Zak graduated the University of Notre Dame with an M.B.A.[citation needed]

On September 29, 2010, Kustok's mother was shot and killed; his father Allan was accused of the homicide. Unlike his sister, Zak did not support his father at the trial. Allan was tried and convicted in February 2014; he was sentenced to 60 years in prison without eligibility for parole.[50]

References

  1. ^ a b Tao, Anthony (May 4, 2006). "What ever happened to...NU's Zak Kustok". Daily Northwestern. Archived from the original on September 5, 2006. Retrieved October 13, 2009.
  2. ^ "Condotti Appears Bound for Lyons". Chicago Sun-Times. January 7, 1994. p. 90. Retrieved January 22, 2010.
  3. ^ Bell, Taylor (August 19, 1994). "Football '94: The Best and the Brightest – Super Teams, Players And All the Favorites". Chicago Sun-Times. p. 110. Retrieved January 22, 2010.
  4. ^ Bell, Taylor (September 25, 1994). "Lemming Looks At the Top 20". Chicago Sun-Times. p. 41. Retrieved January 22, 2010.
  5. ^ Walsh, Scott (December 9, 1994). "Lincoln-Way's Task Wont Be Easy – Knights Hope To Contain Bell, Slow Down Joliet Transition Game". Chicago Tribune. p. 14. Retrieved January 22, 2010.
  6. ^ a b c Potash, Mark & Joe Raymond (November 5, 1997). "QB Kustok ready, willing and able – Irish freshman knows pressure". Chicago Sun-Times. p. 131. Retrieved January 23, 2010.
  7. ^ Sakamoto, Bob (October 13, 1995). "Lincoln-Way Has A Big Zak Attack". Chicago Tribune. p. 12, Sports section. Retrieved January 23, 2010.
  8. ^ Ruane, Dan (November 5, 1995). "Sandburg on Mission, Gets Past Schaumburg". Chicago Sun-Times. p. 29. Retrieved January 23, 2010.
  9. ^ Harrison, Bill (November 12, 1995). "Romeoville Pitches A Shutout". Chicago Tribune. p. 18, Sports section. Retrieved January 23, 2010.
  10. ^ "Kustok Is Top QB For 1996". Chicago Sun-Times. October 29, 1995. p. 34. Retrieved January 23, 2010.
  11. ^ Bell, Taylor (August 16, 1996). "9 Chicago-area football players among top 100". Chicago Sun-Times. p. 106. Retrieved January 23, 2010.
  12. ^ "Prep athletes of the week". Chicago Tribune. January 9, 1996. p. 6, Sports section. Retrieved January 23, 2010.
  13. ^ "Prep athletes of the week". Chicago Tribune. January 14, 1997. p. 9, Sports section. Retrieved January 23, 2010.
  14. ^ "For The Record". USA Today. April 22, 1996. p. 17C. Retrieved January 23, 2010.
  15. ^ Bell, Taylor (July 19, 1996). "NU needs another big season of recruiting". Chicago Sun-Times. p. 110. Retrieved January 23, 2010.
  16. ^ a b c Hepp, Rick (September 2, 1999). "NU QB Kustok Ruled Ineligible". Chicago Tribune. p. 1, Online edition. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
  17. ^ "State-by-state capsules [Part 1 of 2]". USA Today. August 28, 1996. p. 14C. Retrieved January 23, 2010.
  18. ^ Nickel, Lori (November 3, 1996). "Wheaton-Warrenville South 34, Sandburg 7 – QB Brylka Grants Tigers' Wishes In 6A". Chicago Tribune. p. 24, Sports section. Retrieved January 23, 2010.
  19. ^ Sakamoto, Bob (November 18, 1996). "Sandburg QB Shows His Class In Letter To Foe". Chicago Tribune. p. 12, Sports section. Retrieved January 23, 2010.
  20. ^ "All-Area Special Mention". Chicago Sun-Times. November 11, 1996. p. 106. Retrieved January 23, 2010.
  21. ^ "Special Mention". Chicago Sun-Times. March 7, 1997. p. 109. Retrieved January 23, 2010.
  22. ^ "Next two weekends key for Notre Dame recruiting". Chicago Sun-Times. January 12, 1997. p. 31. Retrieved January 23, 2010.
  23. ^ Merkin, Scott (February 5, 1997). "Zak Kustok, QB, Sandburg: Notre Dame – Commitment Remains Despite Irish Changes". Chicago Tribune. p. 7, Sports section. Retrieved January 23, 2010.
  24. ^ "Seven area football stars among nation's top 100". Chicago Sun-Times. January 19, 1997. p. 35. Retrieved January 23, 2010.
  25. ^ Lee, Andy (April 13, 1997). "ND-Bound Sandburg Star Enjoys Taste Of Big Time". Chicago Tribune. p. 21, Sports section. Retrieved January 23, 2010.
  26. ^ Potash, Mark (April 24, 1998). "Mobile QBs give Irish plenty of options – Notre Dame will unveil new offense after Blue-Gold Game". Chicago Sun-Times. p. 121. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  27. ^ Ginnetti, Toni (September 2, 1998). "Demoted Kustok may opt out". Chicago Sun-Times. p. 105. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  28. ^ Modrowski, Roman; Herb Gould; Greg Couch (September 29, 1998). "Sandburg's Kustok leaving Notre Dame". Chicago Sun-Times. p. 100. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  29. ^ Malcolm Moran; Jack Thompson (Compiled by) (September 30, 1998). "KUSTOK LEAVING NOTRE DAME". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  30. ^ a b Plumlee, Rick (February 2, 1999). "Notre Dame Transfer Wavers On KU * Quarterback Zak Kustok Has Visited Northwestern And Received An Offer From Colorado". The Wichita Eagle. p. 2C. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  31. Journal-World
    . Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  32. ^ Merkin, Scott (December 17, 1998). "Transfer, Please: Dome Not A Home – Ex-Sandburg Star Quits ND For Kansas". Chicago Tribune. p. 3, Sports section. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  33. ^ Dutton, Bob (January 20, 1999). "Jayhawks land standout QB". The Kansas City Star. p. D4. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  34. ^ Sakamoto, Bob (February 3, 1999). "Bye, Bye Irish: Kustok Is Coming Home To NU". Chicago Tribune. p. 8, Sports section. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  35. ^ Couch, Greg (February 3, 1999). "Kustok 's road winds up at NU". Chicago Sun-Times. p. 105. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  36. ^ Bagnato, Andrew (February 3, 1999). "QB Hoffman Leaves NU To Attend Pennsylvania". Chicago Tribune. p. 7, Sports section. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  37. ^ Chung, Jeanie (August 31, 1999). "NU's Kustok wants court to grant instant eligibility". Chicago Sun-Times. p. 94. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
  38. ^ Bagnato, Andrew (September 17, 1999). "Kustok Earns Eligibility Oct. 2". Chicago Tribune. p. 9, Sports section. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
  39. Daily Herald
    . p. 1, Sports section. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
  40. ^ Myslenski, Skip (October 3, 1999). "Kustok Providing NU Another Option at QB". Chicago Tribune. p. 7, Sports section. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
  41. ^ Chung, Jeanie (October 3, 1999). "Kustok makes impressive debut in relief of Kreinbrink". Chicago Sun-Times. p. 8, Sports Sunday section. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
  42. ^ Myslenski, Skip (October 5, 1999). "Walker Tabs Kustok For First Start At NU". Chicago Tribune. p. 2, Sports section. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
  43. ^ Chung, Jeanie, Herb Gould and John Jackson (October 5, 1999). "Kustok gets starting nod as Wildcats' quarterback". Chicago Sun-Times. p. 98. Retrieved January 26, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  44. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original
    on February 17, 2008. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
  45. ^ "College Football: Alamo Bowl Past Most Valuable Players". The Sports Network. December 23, 2009. Retrieved January 22, 2010.
  46. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original
    on February 17, 2008. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
  47. CBS Interactive
    . pp. 177–9.
  48. ^ a b "Packers Waive QB Zak Kustok". Packers.com. June 17, 2003. Archived from the original on January 29, 2006. Retrieved January 20, 2010.
  49. ^ "Article: PACKERS WAIVE QB ZAK KUSTOK.(SPORTS)". Wisconsin State Journal. June 18, 2003. Archived from the original on November 2, 2012. Retrieved January 20, 2010.
  50. ^ "Allan Kustok sentenced to 60 years for killing wife". Chicago Tribune.
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