Imagine telling someone they can’t do what they love for a year, possibly the rest of their life. It’d be like telling Albert Pujols he can’t swing a bat, or Peyton Manning to never throw another pass.

That’s what doctors told NIU nose guard Mike Krause prior to the 2009 season after a blood clot passed through his left coronary artery. Krause would have to miss the entire 2009 season.

After a life of dedication to the game of football, a dedication that earned him a college scholarship, he was faced with possibly never strapping on the pads again.

“I didn’t really know how serious it was at the time,” Krause said. “I thought if there was a chance that I could play football again, I still wanted to play. I wanted to take another shot at it.”

To ensure he had that shot, Krause had to make some changes in his lifestyle and swallow the difficult pill of not being able to play the game he loved.

Instead of practicing and lifting, Krause helped defensive line coach Jeff Phelps on drills to stay involved before he began running and lifting weights with Eric Klein, director of sports performance. He also changed his diet and began watching his cholesterol to prevent another flare up that could further sideline his progress.

Over a year later, Krause’s work to get back on the field paid off.

The redshirt senior started at nose guard for the Huskies against Iowa State on Thursday in the season opener. It was his first on-field action since Dec. 28, 2008 in the Independence Bowl against Louisiana Tech.

“At the [Iowa State] game I just took it in for a second and realized how great it was, how great of an opportunity I have, and how special it is to be playing college football at the Division I level,” Krause said. “I’ve been enjoying it a lot more now and not taking it for granted like I used to.”

From a football standpoint, Krause was a valuable asset to have back on the field. With 17 career starts under his belt prior to the 2010 season, his experience on the defensive line is hard to match. He entered this season with 33 career tackles (five for a loss), along with one sack, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.

NIU defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys was able to insert Krause back into a defense that ranked first in the Mid-American Conference and 30th in the nation in 2009. He also rejoined a line that already featured Krause’s good friend, defensive end Jake Coffman, and defensive tackle D.J. Pirkle.

“It was tremendous to get him back,” Claeys said. “You can never simulate game situations in practice. To get him back after playing for three years, his experience is critical, especially when we get to the passing game with screens and stuff like that because he’s very good at dissecting and knowing what’s going on.”

Krause returns to Huskie Stadium on Saturday to face North Dakota. The Germantown, Wisc. native has friends and family attending the game to see him in action.

This year’s home opener, like this season, has more meaning for the senior. He’ll be in the huddle and on the sidelines, listening to what he and his teammates will be doing to the opposing team’s offense. He’ll be getting coached on his play instead of getting coached how to get healthy.

This year is a far cry from last year, when Krause wasn’t sure if he would ever stand in the huddle again.