Eddie Crowder 5683103 195881953 2008-03-04T21:05:24Z JustAGal 1499324 changed categories, added link {{College coach infobox | Name = Eddie Crowder | Image = Eddie_Crowder.JPG | Caption = Eddie Crowder as coach of the [[University of Colorado at Boulder|Colorado]] [[Colorado Buffaloes|Buffaloes]]. | DateOfBirth = August, [[1931]] | Birthplace = | DateOfDeath = | Sport = [[American football|Football]] | College = | Title = Retired [[Head coach]] | CurrentRecord = | OverallRecord = 67-49-2 | BowlRecord = 3-2 | Awards = | CFbDWID = 490 | Player = Y | Years = 1950-52 | Team = [[University of Oklahoma|Oklahoma]] | Position = [[Quarterback]] | Coach = Y | CoachYears = 1963-73 | CoachTeams = Colorado | FootballHOF = }} '''Eddie Crowder''' (born August, 1931) is an [[American football]] player and [[Coach (sport)|coach]]. He was an [[All-American]] [[quarterback]] (QB) and [[Safety (American football)|safety]] at the [[University of Oklahoma]] (OU) in the early 1950s and a successful [[head coach]] and [[athletic director]] (AD) at the [[University of Colorado at Boulder|University of Colorado]] (CU) in the 1960s and 1970s. ==Playing career== Crowder was raised in [[Muskogee, Oklahoma]] and played quarterback at [[Muskogee High School|Muskogee Central High School]], and won the state championship in 1948. He was a member of Oklahoma's first [[NCAA Division I-A national football championship|National Football Championship]] team in 1950, and led Oklahoma to two [[Big 8 Conference|Big Seven]] titles as quarterback in 1951 and 1952 and was selected all-conference the same years. Oklahoma was 26-4-1 during the 3 years Crowder was there. He was 61 for 110 (.555) (might be 60 for 109 (.550)) with 11 touchdowns for 1189 (might be 1179) yards passing He was drafted 9th in the second round (22nd overall) by the [[New York Giants]] in 1953, but declined due to a nerve problem in his throwing arm and served in the [[U.S. Army Corps of Engineers]] as quarterback of the [[Fort Hood]] team for 1953. His jersey number was 16 and was listed at 6'0" and 170 lbs. ==Coaching career== He was an assistant head coach for [[Red Blaik]] at [[United States Military Academy|Army]] in 1955 and for [[Bud Wilkinson]] at Oklahoma from 1956 to 1962. Crowder became the head football coach of the Buffaloes in 1963 and restored the program's respectability and earned national respect while rebuilding the program. In 1971, his team finished No. 3 in the nation with a record of 10-2, only behind [[Big Eight Conference|Big Eight]] rivals [[University of Nebraska-Lincoln|Nebraska]] (1) and Oklahoma (2). He currently has the 3rd best record as head coach at Colorado (67-49-2 .576). His teams went to 5 [[bowl game]]s while he was head coach (1967 Bluebonnet (W), 1969 Liberty (W), 1970 Liberty (L), 1971 Bluebonnet (W), 1972 Gator (L)). He assumed the AD duties in 1965, and retired from coaching in 1973. He then hired his replacement, [[Bill Mallory]] (1974-1978), and also hired [[Chuck Fairbanks]] (1978-1981) and most importantly, Colorado's all-time winningest coach [[Bill McCartney]] (93-55-5). He retired from his AD position in 1986. [[Jim E. Mora|Jim Mora]] was a defensive coach for Crowder from 1968-1973. Crowder currently lives in [[Boulder, Colorado]] with his wife, Kate. He maintains ties to both Oklahoma and Colorado football programs, and helped select Oklahoma head coach [[Bob Stoops]] and Colorado head coach [[Dan Hawkins (coach)|Dan Hawkins]]. He also is a voter in the [[Harris Interactive College Football Poll|Harris College Football Poll]].<ref> {{cite web| title =The Harris Interactive College Football Poll - 2006 panelists| work =HarrisInteractive.com| publisher =[[Harris Interactive]]| date =[[2006-12-03]]| url =http://www.pollg.com/g/w27236/w27236gateway.htm| accessdate =2007-08-22}}</ref> Crowder battled [[Hodgkin's lymphoma]] in 2003.<ref name="cancer">{{cite news | last=Armstrong | fist =Jim |url=http://www.denverbroncos.com/resources/custom/mediaroom/clippings/January%2019-31,%202004.pdf | date=[[2004-01-30]]| title=Crowder counts blessings |work=[[Denver Post]] |format = PDF| accessdate =2007-08-22}}</ref> === Record === {{CFB Coaching Record Start}} {{CFB Coaching Record Team | team = Colorado Buffaloes | conf = Big Eight | startyear = 1963 | endyear = 1973 }} {{CFB Coaching Record Entry | year = 1963 | team = Colorado | overall = 2-8 | conference = 2-5 | confstanding = 6th }} {{CFB Coaching Record Entry | year = 1964 | team = Colorado | overall = 2-8 | conference = 1-6 | confstanding = 7th }} {{CFB Coaching Record Entry | year = 1965 | team = Colorado | overall = 6-2-2 | conference = 4-2-1 | confstanding = 3rd | ranking = #20 }} {{CFB Coaching Record Entry | year = 1966 | team = Colorado | overall = 7-3 | conference = 5-2 | confstanding = 2nd }} {{CFB Coaching Record Entry | year = 1967 | team = Colorado | overall = 9-2 | conference = 5-2 | confstanding = T-2nd | bowlgame = [[Bluebonnet Bowl]] | bowlopp = [[Miami Hurricanes football|Miami]] | bowlscore = W, 31-21 | ranking = #13 }} {{CFB Coaching Record Entry | year = 1968 | team = Colorado | overall = 4-6 | conference = 3-4 | confstanding = T-4th }} {{CFB Coaching Record Entry | year = 1969 | team = Colorado | overall = 8-3 | conference = 5-2 | confstanding = 3rd | bowlgame = [[Liberty Bowl]] | bowlopp = [[Alabama Crimson Tide football|Alabama]] | bowlscore = W, 47-33 }} {{CFB Coaching Record Entry | year = 1970 | team = Colorado | overall = 6-5 | conference = 3-4 | confstanding = 4th | bowlgame = Liberty Bowl | bowlopp = [[Tulane Green Wave football|Tulane]] | bowlscore = L, 17-3 | ranking = #16 }} {{CFB Coaching Record Entry | year = 1971 | team = Colorado | overall = 10-2 | conference = 5-2 | confstanding = 3rd | bowlgame = Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl | bowlopp = [[Houston Cougars football|Houston]] | bowlscore = W, 29-17 | ranking = #7 }} {{CFB Coaching Record Entry | year = 1972 | team = Colorado | overall = 8-4 | conference = 4-3 | confstanding = T-3rd | bowlgame = [[Gator Bowl]] | bowlopp = [[Auburn Tigers football|Auburn]] | bowlscore = L, 24-3 | ranking = T-#14 }} {{CFB Coaching Record Entry | year = 1973 | team = Colorado | overall = 5-6 | conference = 2-5 | confstanding = T-6th }} {{CFB Coaching Record Team End | team = Colorado | overall = 67-49-2 | confrecord = 39-37-1 }} {{CFB Coaching Record End | overall = 67-49-2 | bcs = no }} ===Awards and honors=== *[[NCAA]] [[Division I]]-A National Champion (OU) 1950 * All-Conference (Big-Seven) 1951, 1952 *[[All-American]], 1952 *Colorado Sports Hall of Fame, 1990 *Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame, 2003 *[[FWAA]] Citation of Honor, 2007<ref>{{cite web | url=http://buffzone.com/news/2007/aug/09/former-cu-coach-crowder-receives-prestigious/ | title= Former CU coach Crowder receives prestigious honor | author=Camera staff | date=[[2007-08-09]] | accessdate=2007-08-09 | publisher=DailyCamera.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| last =Kensler| first =Tom| title =Buffs like fast-break football| work =[[Denver Post]]| date =[[2007-08-09]]| url =http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_6577732| accessdate =2007-08-22}}</ref> ==Quotes== "Life is boring for someone trying to achieve greatness."<ref>{{cite web | last=Wyatt |first= Hugh| url=http://www.coachwyatt.com/JAN&FEB00.html |date=[[2000-02-04]]| title=February 4 2000 news| accessdate = 2007-08-22}}</ref> ==External links== * [http://www.soonersports.com/sports/m-footbl/archive/aa-eddie-crowder-1952.html Eddie Crowder: All-American at SoonerSports.com] * [http://www.jimthorpeassoc.org/jimthorpeassoc.org-asp/Eddie%20Crowder.asp Eddie Crowder – Jim Thorpe Association] * [http://www.nationalchamps.net/NCAA/database/colorado_database.htm Colorado football history] * [http://www.coloradosports.org/inducteeprofile.cfm?id=135 Eddie Crowder – Colorado Sports Hall of Fame] * [http://www.databasefootball.com/draft/draftyear.htm?yr=1953&lg=NFL 1953 NFL Draft at databasefootball.com] ===References=== {{reflist}} {{start box}} {{succession box | title=[[Oklahoma Sooners Starting Quarterbacks]] | before=Claude Arnold| years=1951-1952| after=Gene Callame}} {{succession box | title=[[University of Colorado at Boulder|Colorado Head Football Coaches]] | before=[[William E. Davis|Bud Davis]] | years=1963-1973| after=[[Bill Mallory]]}} {{end box}} {{BuffaloesCoach}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Crowder, Eddie}} [[Category:1931 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:People from Muskogee, Oklahoma]] [[Category:American football quarterbacks]] [[Category:Oklahoma Sooners football players]] [[Category:Colorado Buffaloes athletic directors]] [[Category:Colorado Buffaloes football coaches]]