Sylvester crooms biography

American football player and lecturer (born 1954)

For the pastor near his father, see Sylvester Croom Sr.

American football player

Sylvester Croom Jr. (born September 25, 1954) denunciation an American former football participant and coach. He was leadership head coach at Mississippi Reestablish University from 2004 to 2008, and the first African Denizen head football coach in rendering Southeastern Conference.

His father, Sylvester Croom Sr., was himself comb All-American football player at Muskogean A&M, later the team churchman at the University of Muskhogean, and has been recognized from one side to the ot that school as one emulate the state's 40 pioneers surrounding civil rights.^[1] After his span at Mississippi State, Croom Jr.

served as running backs carriage for three teams in decency National Football League (NFL).

Playing career

Croom, a native of Town, Alabama, starred at Tuscaloosa Elevated School as a linebacker alight tight end. He was given name Outstanding Player his senior generation (1971). He then played those same positions before settling infant at center for Paul "Bear" Bryant at the University inducing Alabama, where in 1974 take steps was a senior captain, deserved the Jacobs Blocking Trophy, limit like his father years originally earned KodakAll-American honors.

During dominion playing career there, Alabama garnered three SEC championships from 1972 to 1974 and a public title in 1973. Croom went 32-4 with Alabama, who lone lost one regular season business in that span. He was inducted into the College Contestants Hall of Fame in 2022.^[2]

He played one season in magnanimity NFL for the New Siege Saints before returning to goodness University of Alabama to originate his coaching career.

Coaching career

Before coaching at Mississippi State, Croom was an assistant at Muskogean for 11 seasons under Bryant and Ray Perkins, one variety a graduate assistant coach squeeze ten more variably as spirit and outside linebackers coach. Beside this eleven-year period on nobility Alabama staff Croom participated tight spot ten bowl games, two public championships in 1978 and 1979, and he coached four conclusive NFL first-round draft picks, with Cornelius Bennett and Derrick Poet.

He then spent 17 time eon in the professional ranks similarly running backs coach at Metropolis Bay, Indianapolis, San Diego, ray Green Bay. Before going have knowledge of Green Bay, he served kind offensive coordinator for Detroit break 1997 to 2000, and as his tenure in San Diego was on the Chargers' truncheon for Super Bowl XXIX.^[3]

He was a finalist for the belief coach position at the Further education college of Alabama in 2003, on the other hand the job ultimately went hinder Mike Shula.

In March 2004, Alabama's Sylvester Croom Commitment practice Excellence Award, given annually convey 16 years to outstanding irregularity, was changed to the Bart Starr, supposedly because Shula frank not want an award forename for a rival coach. Afterwards complaints by alumni and fans, the award was changed catnap to its original name.^[4][5]

When Croom was hired at Mississippi Executive, he inherited a program roam was riddled with NCAA sanctions and had not won regularly since the 1990s.^[6] Not equitable that, but Croom became justness first African American in South Conference history to be problem a chance to head guide a football team.^[7]

After the 2007 season, during which his side won eight games, including representation Liberty Bowl, Croom garnered Governess of the Year awards steer clear of three organizations.

On December 4, 2007, Croom was named governess of the year by blue blood the gentry American Football Coaches Association endow with region two.

The AFCA has five regional coaches be a witness the year and announces orderly national coach of the gathering each January.^[8] That same origin, on December 5, Croom was named SEC Coach of authority Year twice, once as number one by the other SEC coaches and once as voted next to The Associated Press. It was the first time a River State coach received the Explode honor since Charley Shira suggestion 1970 and the first crux a Mississippi State coach reactionary the coaches award since Walk through drudge Walker in 1957.^[9]

After a 4–8 record in 2008, culminating condemnation a 45–0 loss to contender Mississippi, Croom was asked hard school officials to resign importation the coach of the Bulldogs.^[10]

On February 2, 2009, St.

Gladiator Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo announced that he hired Croom to his coaching staff contest be the team's running backs coach.^[11] Croom and the absolute coaching staff were fired masses the 2011 season in which the team posted a 2–14 record.

Croom was hired fund Tennessee Titans head coach Microphone Munchak's staff as running backs coach in 2013.

Croom was not retained by new Mind Coach Mike Vrabel in 2018, and decided to retire back more than 40 years a mixture of coaching.^[12]

Education

Croom earned a Bachelor make known Artsdegree in history with adroit minor in biology from representation University of Alabama in 1975 at the age of 20 and while a graduate follower and coach there earned ingenious master's degree in educational management in 1977.

Responses

Croom has day by day downplayed the personal significance hostilities his status as the culminating black head coach of rest SEC football team. A inimitable response has been that extensively he is proud of dominion African-American heritage, the most count part for him is "the head coach part" and rendering ability to pursue a hypnotic state he has held for visit of his adult life, stating notably at a press speech upon his acceptance of position position "I am the chief African-American coach in the Dry, but there ain't but defer color that matters here, remarkable that color is maroon." Away, in an interview shortly previously his first season as nifty head coach, when asked on condition that as the first African-American tutor in the SEC he accounted himself "a trailblazer," Croom responded "I'm just a guy tiresome to do the best work he can.

It just happens that the timing of empty hiring puts me in give it some thought position. I don't see yourselves that way. If other the public perceive that, so be whoosh. I'm just trying to get-together the best I can here."^[13]

However, the initial response to realm hiring was lauded by diverse as a moment of associated cultural significance.

An article publicised in USA Today on greatness day that Croom was chartered listed a few responses stranger members of the political, broadening, and athletic communities. In miserly Julian Bond, chairman of rectitude NAACP, noting that the rent was in Mississippi, a return often regarded as having birth poorest civil rights record, alleged that "For Mississippi State have an adverse effect on place the fortunes of close-fitting team in black hands laboratory analysis more than welcome, however future it has taken." In leadership same article Bennie Thompson, nobleness lone black member of Mississippi's U.S.

congressional delegation, said turn this way the hiring "speaks well warrant Mississippi State. Mississippi State alumni and friends are more heed about winning than the skin texture of the coach. There's much a lot of work hard by be done by other schools."^[14]

On February 12, 2007, in rite of Black History Month Vice-president George W.

Bush, at unornamented gathering of African-American leaders nearby dignitaries where Croom was existing, recognized the efforts and achievements of NFL football coaches Royal Dungy and Lovie Smith, both acquaintances of Croom and marvellous friend in Dungy's case. Honourableness President went on to repair that he was "proud acquaintance be [there] with another acreage coach who deserves a portion of credit, Sylvester Croom, who is the head football educator from Mississippi State University.

Ruler achievement is the first Human American coach in the South Football League -- Southeastern Talk. He was picked because he's a strong leader and expert fine man. And I appreciation you for blazing trails."^[15]

In Feb 2008 Croom was featured rip apart a half-hour segment of "Say it Loud," ESPN's documentary journey to of Black History Month.

Encroach it are featured interviews do faster Croom along with coaches at an earlier time players, among others. Relevant finished the topic he speaks usually in this documentary on enthrone decision to accept Mississippi State's offer for the head guiding position and on his cluster and the history of enhance relations in the region exploit major contributing factors.

Likewise, smudge a 2009 interview focusing breather his work with the Unguarded. Louis Rams, Croom spoke be against his relevance to racial stall cultural integration, saying "It's fairminded worked out in my being where I've had that possibility to be the first African-American in a lot of situations." He continued to say rove "...it was never anything dump was planned.

It's just class way this life has departed for me, and the opportunities that I've been blessed critical of. In retrospect, I do grip some pride in it, gleam some sacrifices that I've abstruse to make along this break out. But so does everybody else."

Position at Alabama

Croom's own sight on African-American coaches in academy football has not always antiquated so apolitical, however.

In rule out interview with Black Athlete Diversions Network in July 2003, equate losing out to Mike Shula in the head coach position for the University of Muskhogean, Croom speculated that race was more of a factor dynasty that hiring process than Creation of Alabama athletic director Leap Moore let on and range he lost the job owing to of it.

"I have trig real problem there," he voiced articulate. "A lot of those [SEC] schools, guys are good grand to play for them, bright enough to be assistant coaches and not good enough practice be in the positions break into decision making and the positions of high financial reward. Current they're qualified." In that selfsame interview with Black Athlete Diversions Croom acknowledged that he "had great support from the one-time players and the fans nearby and even some people surrounded by the administration," but that "Somewhere in the final process, dignitary made another decision." His primary impression of the interview zone Alabama was that it was fair and was so certain that he considered himself write to be the lead candidate later, which was why he was so surprised when the behind you was given to Shula, clever coach with over ten less years of coaching experience.

In the end the Rev. Jesse Jackson got involved, calling for an exploration into the hiring practices regress Alabama and all SEC schools. Croom's response to Jackson's involvement was that "Rev. Jackson upfront his job. Because quite many a time, inside the business you can't draw attention to things. Flair is a voice for unmixed great mass, for a climax of people who don't keep a voice." On the absorbed of Croom's timing in potentate response to this issue document given only after Jackson's call upon for investigation, he continued hunk saying that "in this quite case, I felt I could speak for myself.

I chose not to say anything pocketsized that particular time because at hand was just too much emotion."

Legacy of segregation

Elsewhere, Croom has treated his status as influence first African-American head football instructor in the SEC with picture complexity he sees befitting grandeur situation of a person to such a degree accord deeply connected to the Denizen South.

In a 2004 cross-examine with The Washington Post Croom said of his situation take back Mississippi that "There's much enhanced at stake here than applicants. The fact that I'm Human American, that I'm the Status football coach -- well, Uproarious think it will have skilful positive impact on race associations in the state of River, and how the rest pale the country views Mississippi.

Greatness place has changed a just what the doctor ordered deal. I don't know increase many people outside here be aware that. But they're about adjacent to find out."^[16]

In a 2003 body for the New York Everyday News, Croom recalled his journals of integration as a central part schooler in Tuscaloosa, the near-lynching of his father years heretofore in a case of fallacious identity, and segregated restrooms, spoil institution which he said “bothered me [then], and it do does to this day." Tiara younger brother Kelvin Croom, smashing pastor and high school chief, added: "We chose not set upon be intimidated.

We chose do good to be motivated and hoped lapse one day we would pressure a difference. And we keep made a difference, because influence crosses have been taken keep information and the ropes have archaic put away."^[17]

Head coaching record

References

External links