Mike Crumley taking over as South Carroll football coach

South Carroll has its new varsity football coach, and the Cavaliers didn't have to go very far to find him.

Mike Crumley is the seventh head coach in program history, and he's replacing Mike Kraus at the post. The longtime assistant takes over for Kraus, who spent 20-plus years with South Carroll and stepped down after the 2022 season.

Crumley served as SC's offensive coordinator in recent years, but he joined the program in 2020 as a junior varsity assistant. Crumley's offense was part of a 25-5 record over the last three seasons, with a Class 2A-1A state finals appearance in 2021.

"South Carroll has an established history of having outstanding coaches -- and not just football, it's every sport, I'm talking about the successes of the wrestling program, our soccer teams, basketball teams, the golf team, the softball and field hockey teams," Crumley said via email. "We have talent on the sidelines during every season we compete, and I'm just proud to step in and work to keep that tradition going."

Crumley moved from JV to varsity in 2018 as a wide receiver and special teams coach, and eventually took over as the team's offensive coordinator. 

Kraus spent five seasons as South Carroll's head coach and guided the Cavaliers to a piece of the Carroll County Athletic League title this past fall. The Cavs own a 31-18 record under Kraus.

Now it's Crumley's turn to lead a program that boasted CMSportsNet Player of the Year picks in 2021 (quarterback Ryan Barnard, linebacker Brandon Athey) and 2022 (AJ Rodrigues).

"I'm very excited at the challenges ahead," Crumley said. "Coaching for South Carroll isn't a stepping stone for me, it's the destination. I'm looking forward to leading these young men and continuing to chase excellence. As one of the smallest schools in the county, it's rewarding to be able to compete against the larger schools and do well."

Photo credit: Tim Novotny, South Carroll Athletics