Maurea Crain - Football Coach - Troy University Athletics

Maurea Crain

Title:
Defensive Line
Email:
mcrain@troy.edu
Phone:
3711

THE CRAIN FILE

Maurea "Mo" Crain enters his sixth season as an assistant coach on the Troy University football staff, after serving as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Tyler (TX) Junior College.

At Troy, Crain works with the defensive line and specifically the interior linemen. Last season, Crain worked with a defense that recorded 40 sacks. He also coached Emmanuel Dudley who was among the team leaders in tackles and TFL’s for 2010.

Crain has coached several players who have gone on to play in the professional ranks; including Steve McLendon of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dion Gales of the Kansas City Chiefs.

In 2008, Crain was part of a defense that ranked in the top 35 in several categories, including pass defense (23rd), total defense (30th) and scoring defense (31st). They also ranked 17th in the nation in pass efficiency defense (104.03).

Crain’s coaching experience includes stints as the defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at NCAA Division II power Valdosta State University (2002-04), helping the Blazers win the national championship in 2004.

At Valdosta State, his teams were 34-4 in three years and he was part of two national championship game appearances (coaching the MVP nose guard in the 2004 national championship game). He also coached seven First and Second-Team All-American Defensive Linemen, three Canadian Football League (CFL) players and one National Football League (NFL) lineman.

Crain started his coaching career at University (TX) High School in Waco, where he coached the defensive line and special teams from 1995 until 1998. During his tenure, University High earned a district title, an area title and was a state semifinalist in Class 4A.

Crain moved to Tyler (TX) Junior College for his first stint as an assistant coach after his stint at University. While at Tyler, he worked with the defensive line and special teams from 1998 until 2001. During his first stint with the school, he helped the team to a Southwest Junior College Conference championship and a victory in the Red River Bowl.

After his stint at Tyler JC, he moved on to serve as a graduate assistant coach in the NCAA Division I-A ranks at Baylor University. He stayed at Baylor from 2001 until 2002 under then head coach Kevin Steele, the current defensive coordinator at Clemson University, working with the offensive line.

Before beginning his coaching career, Crain was a four-year letterwinner at the University of Iowa in the Big 10 Conference. He played under legendary coach Hayden Fry from 1989-93. During his time at Iowa, the Hawkeyes played in the 1991 Rose Bowl, the 1991 Holiday Bowl, the 1992 Kickoff Classic and the 1993 Alamo Bowl. He was also a two-year letterwinner in track and field during his stay at the University of Iowa.

Maurea (pronounced Mo-yay) is a native of Waco, Texas, where most of his family still resides. Crain earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Iowa in 1994. He is an active member of the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA).