Jim Criner
Encyclopedia
Jim Criner is a former American football
player and coach in the United States. He served as the head football coach at Boise State University
from 1976 to 1982 and at Iowa State University
from 1983 to 1986, compiling a career college football
record of 76–46–3. Criner was also the head coach of the NFL Europe
's Scottish Claymores
from 1995 to 2000, and the short-lived XFL
's Las Vegas Outlaws
in 2001. Criner's 1980 Boise State team
won the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship and his Scottish Claymores squad won World Bowl IV
in 1996. Criner was later a scout
for the Kansas City Chiefs
of the NFL
under head coach Dick Vermeil
, whom he assisted at UCLA
in the mid-1970s.
, and was a four-sport athlete at Coachella Valley High School
in Thermal, California
. He attended Palo Verde Junior College
where he was a JC All-American at linebacker
. He transferred to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
where he was an All-American at linebacker, and played fullback
as well.
at Charter Oak High School (1963), and then head coach at Claremont High School (1964) and then at Clovis High School. He became a college assistant coach in 1967 at Utah
, serving two seasons as the offensive line coach. In 1969, he became the defensive coordinator
at Cal State Hayward. In 1970 he was the secondary coach at California
for two seasons, and in 1972 moved to BYU for a season. In 1973 he became the offensive line coach at UCLA
under Pepper Rodgers
and continued under Dick Vermeil
in 1974; he moved to linebackers coach in 1975, when UCLA won the Pac-8 title and upset top-ranked Ohio State
, 23–10, in the Rose Bowl
.
In 2008, Criner accepted the position of head football coach at Marist High School in Eugene, Oregon
.
victory over Ohio State
in January 1976, Criner was hired as the head coach at Boise State
, replacing Tony Knap
, who had departed for UNLV
. At the time, Boise State was a strong Division II program in the Big Sky Conference
, and had won three consecutive conference titles. The Broncos won the conference title again in 1977, and the conference moved up to the newly-formed Division I-AA in 1978. The Broncos went undefeated in conference in 1979, but were ineligible for the Big Sky title or the I-AA playoffs; they had been placed on probation for "coaching irregularities" incurred during the 1978 season. Off of probation in 1980
, Boise State won the Big Sky title with a 6–1 conference record, and advanced to the four-team I-AA playoffs, defeating Grambling
, 14–9, in the first round in Boise and defending champion Eastern Kentucky
, 31–29, in Sacramento
for the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship. Boise State again went 6–1 in conference in 1981, and tied for first with Idaho State
in the Big Sky. Both co-champions were invited to the expanded eight-team I-AA playoffs. The Broncos defeated Jackson State
on the road, but were defeated at home in the semifinals by Eastern Kentucky. Idaho State won the 1981 national title, defeating Eastern Kentucky the following week. In Criner's seven seasons at Boise State, the Broncos were 34–12 (.739) in conference, and 59–21–1 (.735) overall.
of the Big Eight Conference
. He held that position for four seasons, from 1983 until 1986. His career coaching record at Iowa State was 9–17–2 (.357) in conference and 17–25–2 (.409) overall, ranking him 14th at ISU in total wins and 19th in winning percentage.
for the Idaho Vandals
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player and coach in the United States. He served as the head football coach at Boise State University
Boise State University
Boise State University is a public university located in Boise, Idaho. Originally founded in 1932 as a junior college by the Episcopal Church, the university became an independent institution in 1934, and has been awarding baccalaureate and master degrees since 1965...
from 1976 to 1982 and at Iowa State University
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
from 1983 to 1986, compiling a career college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
record of 76–46–3. Criner was also the head coach of the NFL Europe
NFL Europe
NFL Europe was an American football league which operated in Europe from 1991 until 2007. Backed by the National Football League , the largest professional American football league in the United States, it was founded as the World League of American Football to serve as a type of spring league...
's Scottish Claymores
Scottish Claymores
The Scottish Claymores were an American football team from Scotland. The franchise played in the World League of American Football between 1995 and 2004, initially playing all home games at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh and latterly sharing home games with Hampden Park, Glasgow...
from 1995 to 2000, and the short-lived XFL
XFL
The XFL was a professional American football league that played for one season in 2001. The league was founded by Vince McMahon, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of WWE...
's Las Vegas Outlaws
Las Vegas Outlaws
The Las Vegas Outlaws were an American football team in the short-lived XFL in the Western Division with the Los Angeles Xtreme, San Francisco Demons and Memphis Maniax...
in 2001. Criner's 1980 Boise State team
1980 Boise State Broncos football team
The 1980 Boise State Broncos football team represented Boise State University in the 1980 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Broncos competed in the Big Sky Conference and played their home games at Bronco Stadium in Boise, Idaho. The Broncos were led by fifth-year head coach Jim Criner...
won the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship and his Scottish Claymores squad won World Bowl IV
World Bowl IV
World Bowl '96 , the championship game of American football's WLAF, took place at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh, Scotland on June 23, 1996. The 7-3 Scottish Claymores defeated the 7-3 Frankfurt Galaxy 32-27 and, led by head coach Jim Criner, completed the league's first ever worst to first...
in 1996. Criner was later a scout
Scout (sport)
In professional sports, scouts are trained talent evaluators who travel extensively for the purposes of watching athletes play their chosen sports and determining whether their set of skills and talents represent what is needed by the scout's organization...
for the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
of the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
under head coach Dick Vermeil
Dick Vermeil
Richard Albert "Dick" Vermeil is a former American head coach for the National Football League's Philadelphia Eagles , St. Louis Rams and Kansas City Chiefs...
, whom he assisted at UCLA
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
in the mid-1970s.
Early life and playing career
Criner was born in Lurton, ArkansasNewton County, Arkansas
Newton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of 2010, the population is 8,330. The county seat is Jasper. Newton County is Arkansas's 46th county, formed on December 14, 1842, and named for Thomas W. Newton, an Arkansas Congressman...
, and was a four-sport athlete at Coachella Valley High School
Coachella Valley High School
-Athletics:Coachella Valley High School is in the Desert Valley League which includes Cathedral City, Coachella Valley, Indio, La Quinta, Palm Desert and Palm Springs. Out of conference opponents sometimes include Desert Hot Springs and Desert Mirage High School near Mecca, California...
in Thermal, California
Thermal, California
Thermal is a census-designated place located approximately 25 miles southeast of Palm Springs and about 9.5 miles north of the Salton Sea. Although one can find sunny skies most days, residents occasionally endure strong winds and sizzling summer temperatures well above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The...
. He attended Palo Verde Junior College
Palo Verde Community College
Palo Verde College, formerly called Palo Verde Junior College - is a community college in Blythe, California.-Main Campus:Palo Verde College is located along the Colorado River in the fertile Palo Verde Valley, west of Phoenix, east of Palm Springs, and north of Yuma...
where he was a JC All-American at linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
. He transferred to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Cal Poly Mustangs football
The Mustang football team is the college football team of California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California. The team plays its home games in Alex G. Spanos Stadium. The current head coach is Tim Walsh, who began his tenure in 2009....
where he was an All-American at linebacker, and played fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
as well.
High school football and college assistant coaching
He began his career as an assistant to Jim HanifanJim Hanifan
Jim Hanifan is a longtime American football coach and former head coach of the St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Falcons. He compiled a career record of 39-53-1.-Playing career:...
at Charter Oak High School (1963), and then head coach at Claremont High School (1964) and then at Clovis High School. He became a college assistant coach in 1967 at Utah
Utah Utes football
The Utah Utes football program is a college football team that currently competes in the Pacific-12 Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I and represents the University of Utah. The Utah college football program began in 1892 and has played home games at Rice–Eccles...
, serving two seasons as the offensive line coach. In 1969, he became the defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
at Cal State Hayward. In 1970 he was the secondary coach at California
California Golden Bears football
The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to...
for two seasons, and in 1972 moved to BYU for a season. In 1973 he became the offensive line coach at UCLA
UCLA Bruins Football
The UCLA Bruins football program represents the University of California, Los Angeles in college football as members of the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The Bruins have enjoyed several periods of success in their history, having been ranked in the top ten of the AP Poll...
under Pepper Rodgers
Pepper Rodgers
Franklin C. "Pepper" Rodgers is a former American football player and coach in the United States. He served as the head coach at the University of Kansas , University of California, Los Angeles , and the Georgia Institute of Technology , compiling a career college football record of...
and continued under Dick Vermeil
Dick Vermeil
Richard Albert "Dick" Vermeil is a former American head coach for the National Football League's Philadelphia Eagles , St. Louis Rams and Kansas City Chiefs...
in 1974; he moved to linebackers coach in 1975, when UCLA won the Pac-8 title and upset top-ranked Ohio State
1975 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 1975 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented the Ohio State University in the college football season of 1975-1976. The Buckeyes compiled a 11–1 record, including the 1976 Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, where they lost 23–10 to the UCLA Bruins.In 1975, Archie Griffin would...
, 23–10, in the Rose Bowl
1976 Rose Bowl
The 1976 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 1976. It was the 62nd Rose Bowl Game. The UCLA Bruins defeated the number one ranked and undefeated Ohio State Buckeyes 23-10. UCLA quarterback John Sciarra was named the Rose Bowl Player Of The Game...
.
In 2008, Criner accepted the position of head football coach at Marist High School in Eugene, Oregon
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
.
Boise State
Following UCLA's Rose Bowl1976 Rose Bowl
The 1976 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 1976. It was the 62nd Rose Bowl Game. The UCLA Bruins defeated the number one ranked and undefeated Ohio State Buckeyes 23-10. UCLA quarterback John Sciarra was named the Rose Bowl Player Of The Game...
victory over Ohio State
1975 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 1975 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented the Ohio State University in the college football season of 1975-1976. The Buckeyes compiled a 11–1 record, including the 1976 Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, where they lost 23–10 to the UCLA Bruins.In 1975, Archie Griffin would...
in January 1976, Criner was hired as the head coach at Boise State
Boise State Broncos football
This page discusses the Boise State football program. For more Boise State athletics, see Boise State Broncos.The Boise State Broncos football program represents Boise State University in college football and compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I as a member of the Mountain West...
, replacing Tony Knap
Tony Knap
Anthony Joseph "Tony" Knap was a college football head coach and former player. He was the head coach at Utah State , Boise State , and UNLV , compiling a career college football record of 143–53–4.-Biography:The oldest son of Polish immigrants, Knap was raised in Milwaukee,...
, who had departed for UNLV
UNLV Rebels football
The UNLV Rebels football program is a college football team that represents the University of Nevada, Las Vegas . The team is currently a member of the Mountain West Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association...
. At the time, Boise State was a strong Division II program in the Big Sky Conference
Big Sky Conference
The Big Sky Conference is an intercollegiate college athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I, with football competing in the Football Championship Subdivision. The BSC was founded in 1963. Member institutions are located in the western United States in the states of Arizona,...
, and had won three consecutive conference titles. The Broncos won the conference title again in 1977, and the conference moved up to the newly-formed Division I-AA in 1978. The Broncos went undefeated in conference in 1979, but were ineligible for the Big Sky title or the I-AA playoffs; they had been placed on probation for "coaching irregularities" incurred during the 1978 season. Off of probation in 1980
1980 Boise State Broncos football team
The 1980 Boise State Broncos football team represented Boise State University in the 1980 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Broncos competed in the Big Sky Conference and played their home games at Bronco Stadium in Boise, Idaho. The Broncos were led by fifth-year head coach Jim Criner...
, Boise State won the Big Sky title with a 6–1 conference record, and advanced to the four-team I-AA playoffs, defeating Grambling
Grambling State Tigers football
The Grambling State Tigers are the college football team representing the Grambling State University. The Tigers play in NCAA Division I Football Championship as a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference.-Black College Football National Championships:...
, 14–9, in the first round in Boise and defending champion Eastern Kentucky
Eastern Kentucky Colonels football
The Eastern Kentucky University Colonels football team is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference that competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision...
, 31–29, in Sacramento
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
for the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship. Boise State again went 6–1 in conference in 1981, and tied for first with Idaho State
Idaho State Bengals football
The Idaho State Bengals football program represents Idaho State University in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision . As of the end of the 2010 season they have an all-time record of 449–463–20...
in the Big Sky. Both co-champions were invited to the expanded eight-team I-AA playoffs. The Broncos defeated Jackson State
Jackson State Tigers football
The Jackson State Tigers are the college football team representing the Jackson State University. The Tigers play in NCAA Division I Football Championship as a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference.-College Football Hall of Fame members:*Kevin Dent...
on the road, but were defeated at home in the semifinals by Eastern Kentucky. Idaho State won the 1981 national title, defeating Eastern Kentucky the following week. In Criner's seven seasons at Boise State, the Broncos were 34–12 (.739) in conference, and 59–21–1 (.735) overall.
Iowa State
Following the 1982 season, Criner became the 27th head coach of the Iowa State CyclonesIowa State Cyclones football
The Iowa State Cyclones football team represents Iowa State University in college football. The Cyclones compete in the Big 12 Conference in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. ISU started playing football in 1892, however, it did not become an official sport until 1894...
of the Big Eight Conference
Big Eight Conference
The Big Eight Conference, a former NCAA-affiliated Division I-A college athletic association that sponsored football, was formed in January 1907 as the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association by its charter member schools: the University of Kansas, University of Missouri, University...
. He held that position for four seasons, from 1983 until 1986. His career coaching record at Iowa State was 9–17–2 (.357) in conference and 17–25–2 (.409) overall, ranking him 14th at ISU in total wins and 19th in winning percentage.
Personal life
Criner has three brothers and two sisters. All three of his brothers have or have had prominent sports careers. His son, Mark, is currently the defensive coordinatorDefensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
for the Idaho Vandals
Idaho Vandals football
The Idaho Vandals are a college football team that represents the University of Idaho. The Vandals currently compete in the Western Athletic Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I...
.