Sylvester Croom Finding Success
After Slow Start, Mississippi State Coach Enjoys Breakthrough Season
The patience of the school administration has finally begun to pay off, as the Southeastern Conference's first African-American coach leads Bulldogs to Liberty Bowl win.
Mississippi State’s 10-3 victory over Central Florida in the 2007 Liberty Bowl may not have seemed all that noteworthy to others, but for fourth-year coach Sylvester Croom, and the Bulldog faithful, it was a significant achievement, indeed.
Not only did Mississippi State rally to win and end its season on a positive note, but it further validated what Croom is trying to do with his program.
Hired as the first African-American coach in the Southeastern Conference, Croom has operated under a microscope since coming to Starkville, Miss., from the Green Bay Packers of the NFL.
The view hasn’t always been pretty, either. Croom began his Mississippi State career with a 9-25 record, including a loss to Division 1-AA Maine, and a more impatient university may have terminated Croom at that point.
Mississippi State has never been known as a football power, though, and it seems to be trying to do things in the right manner. So, too, for Croom, who has drawn high marks for his personality, dedication, loyalty and knowledge.
Those may finally all be paying off for Croom, who drew high praise during the 2007 season for the Bulldogs’ upset of Alabama, 17-12. In beating his alma mater, Croom not only gained a measure of revenge in defeating a school that chose not to hire him, but he bested Nick Saban in proving that Croom deserves to be considered one of the league’s best coaches.
Others agree. His fellow coaches voted Croom the 2007 SEC Coach of the Year, which is sure to help when Croom hits the recruiting trail. Croom has drawn high marks for his ability to attract talent to one of the SEC’s least attractive settings.
He’s getting the most out of what he has, too, as evidenced by the last two victories of the 2007 season. The Bulldogs overcame a 14-point, fourth-quarter deficit to beat Ole Miss in the regular-season finale, 17-14, and then spotted Central Florida a 3-0 lead before winning to finish with an 8-5 record.
Thus, did Mississippi State experience its first winning season and bowl berth since 2000. In the interim, the Bulldogs, had been rocked by NCAA sanctions and off-the-field incidents. It took someone with Croom’s conviction to redirect Mississippi State onto the path of success.
Croom is no stranger to overcoming long odds. One of Alabama’s first African-American standouts, he lettered for the Crimson Tide from 1972-74. Croom started at center the last two years, during which time Alabama fashioned a 22-2 overall record and won the 1973 national championship.
While team captain, Croom earned All-SEC and Kodak All-America recognition as a senior and received the Jacobs Blocking Trophy as the league’s best offensive lineman. Alabama has since named one of its spring honors the Sylvester Croom Commitment to Excellence Award.
He later spent 11 years as an assistant at his alma mater located in his hometown of Tuscaloosa. His late father, a respected minister, was team chaplain.
In a career filled with superlatives, transforming Mississippi State’s fortunes is Croom’s latest crowning achievement.
