FREMONT, Neb. (AP) Eric Crouch is getting back into football, this time as a coach.
Midland University announced Tuesday the 2001 Heisman Trophy winner at Nebraska has been hired as an assistant in charge of running backs and special teams.
The 1,400-student school 30 miles from Omaha is coached by Jeff Jamrog, a former Nebraska player who was the Cornhuskers’ defensive line coach when Crouch was a player.
”I’ve got a passion for the game. I love being around the team and players,” Crouch said. ”I’m now looking for another opportunity to challenge myself and still remain in football. It’s a great opportunity close to home to help their football program out.”
The 39-year-old former quarterback led the Huskers to the 2001 national championship game. The St. Louis Rams drafted him in the third round in 2002 as a receiver. Crouch never played an NFL regular-season game. He played in NFL Europe and attempted comebacks in the CFL and now-defunct United Football League.
He lives in Omaha and has worked in sales of medical and recreation equipment.
”Right now the goal is just to learn more about college football and how it works on the coaching side,” Crouch said. ”For me, I’m coming in basically as a freshman. I’m looking at it like how quickly can I learn the playbook?”
Midland is a Division II school in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. The Warriors are 13-8 in two seasons under Jamrog, who has had a number of former Nebraska players on his staff.
”We couldn’t be more excited here at Midland to have one of the most decorated college football players to ever play the game to be coaching our student-athletes,” Jamrog said. ”He has a tremendous work ethic. I know Eric is going to instill the work ethic, the attitude, the perseverance, all those things that student-athletes will go through.”
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