By Nick Craddock

Jared Lorenzen is having a déjà vu moment.

Lorenzen, a Covington, Ky., native and the 1998 Kentucky High School Mr. Football, was the starting quarterback at UK from 2000-2003. He holds 11 school records, including career total offense and passing yardage, and played in some of UK football’s most notable games, like the “Bluegrass Miracle” against Louisiana State in 2002 and a seven-overtime game against Arkansas in 2003 that is tied for the longest collegiate football game ever.

Now Lorenzen has returned to play football in Lexington, but this time he is not sporting the colors of the Big Blue Nation, but of the Kentucky Horsemen of the arenafootball2 league.

“I love the fans here,” Lorenzen said. “Even when we (UK) were 2-9, 60,000 to 70,000 people would come out and watch us play.”

After going undrafted following his senior season, Lorenzen went on to serve primarily as Eli Manning’s backup in the NFL for his three-year stint with the New York Giants from 2005-2007.

“Truthfully, I understood that I was going to be behind Eli, their franchise guy,” said Lorenzen, who added that his window of opportunity to overtake Manning for the starting quarterback position on the depth chart was a small one.

“I just wish I could’ve played more in my three years,” Lorenzen said.

However, despite little playing time, Lorenzen was a member of the Giants’ Super Bowl XLII winning squad that halted the New England Patriots’ quest for a perfect 19-0 season. Lorenzen labeled this moment as the “pinnacle” of his career thus far.

Following an unsuccessful attempt to make the Indianapolis Colts’ final roster prior to the 2008-2009 NFL season, Lorenzen found himself in an unusual position: out of football. So Lorenzen got a job doing radio commentary for Scott County (Ky.) basketball. While at his new job, the Horsemen executives came calling, wondering if Lorenzen would entertain the idea of playing arena football.

“I met with the team and told them I still had a desire to play,” Lorenzen said, who was immediately offered a contract after the meeting.

Although Lorenzen has his sights set on the ArenaCup in his first season with the Horsemen, he would like to make it back to the NFL in the future. But Lorenzen said he’s still happy with the NFL career he’s had.

So far, the Horsemen have compiled a 1-2 record this season with Lorenzen at the helm as he continues to make the adjustments from the pro game to the arena game.

“In arena the speed of the game is quicker, everything is condensed and makes you anticipate a lot more,” Lorenzen said. “I’ve got to work on getting quicker feet.”

Quick feet or not, Horsemen head coach Mike Harmon is pleased to have Lorenzen on his team.

“He’s an NFL-caliber quarterback from an athletic, playmaking standpoint,” Harmon said. “He’s just got to work on being more Favre-like, making the unorthodox throws, since he can make just about any throw with the flick of a wrist.”