After a five-year hiatus, he played a seventh professional season with the Tampa Bay Bandits of the United States Football League (USFL).
His versatility in track and field attracted the attention of Jimmy Johnson, then an assistant to Johnny Majors at Iowa State University.
Krakau made 11 tackles, sacked the quarterback twice, and caused and recovered two fumbles as the Cyclones ended Nebraska's 24-game Big Eight winning streak with a 23–23 tie.
His best season in Buffalo was 1976, when he started all 14 games at middle linebacker, led the team in tackles with 132, and was second in the NFL in fumble recoveries, with six.
Krakau is a member of the Iowa High School Athletic Association Football Hall of Fame.