Bonus All Things CW: Congratulations to Sylvester Croom

Alabama will salute the former All-American center and Mississippi State coach for entering the College Football Hall of Fame.

I keep going back to something Wendell Hudson said about his friend when it was announced that Sylvester Croom would finally join him in the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2020. 

"Long overdue," Hudson said. 

It only took 20 years to happen. 

On Saturday, Croom will be recognized during the Mississippi State at Alabama game as one of the best parts of being selected for the College Football Hall of Fame, the on-campus salute. 

And yes, it's about time. 

That isn't a reflection on Alabama, which has done a much better job lately of recognizing some of its pioneers in integration and diversity. 

Granted, there have been some bumps in the road, like the initial idiotic decision to name a building Lucy-Graves Hall after its first Black student and civil rights activist Autherine Lucy Foster and Bibb Graves, a former Alabama governor and a Ku Klux Klan leader (after a week of backlash the university went with Autherine Lucy Hall). 

In April, it dedicated a plaque honoring its first Black football players, Wilbur Jackson and John Mitchell, outside of Bryant-Denny Stadium. 

Previously, the last major ceremony before the coronavirus outbreak was Hudson becoming the first former Crimson Tide player or coach to have his jersey retired, as No. 20 was raised to the top of Coleman Coliseum. 

Croom was on-hand for a lot of the celebration. 

The Tuscaloosa son was one of the first black football players at Alabama, and as a senior captain in 1974 was named an All-American in addition to winning the Jacobs Trophy as the Southeastern Conference’s best blocker. Before playing center, he was a linebacker, tight end and tackle.

During his three seasons, Croom helped lead Alabama to a 22-2 record, three straight SEC titles, and the 1973 national championship.

“In my career, I’ve been around a lot of great leaders,” Ozzie Newsome said. “And he led that huddle, trust me. He was impressive at a lot of things, but mostly a leader."

He then became a coaching icon.

Croom was an assistant at Alabama for 11 seasons under Coach Paul W. "Bear" Bryant and Coach Ray Perkins, and then spent 17 years coaching in the NFL before finally getting the chance to be a head coach.

In 2003, after being a finalist for the job at his alma matter, Croom became the first black head football coach in the SEC at Mississippi State.

Croom inherited a program that had been struggling, and was coming off three straight seasons in which the Bulldogs failed to top more than three wins.

But Croom wasn't just interested in making history. He also wanted to win. At the end of his fourth season he was named the 2007 SEC Coach of the Year.

Croom always said that his love for the game was what kept him going as a coach, and after Mississippi State he returned to the NFL for eight more seasons.

When Mike Slive announced that he would step down as conference commissioner in 2015, he mentioned Croom's hiring as one of the proudest moments of his tenure. He later called it his greatest accomplishment.

“Before his hiring, my goal was to create a national conference," Slive said. "We were a bit regional. As long as we had shown we couldn't provide opportunity for everyone, we wouldn't be the kind of national league that I wanted us to be. With the hiring of Sylvester, it was a huge story, especially out of the state of Mississippi. That allowed us to become that national conference that we wanted to become.”

For me, my first experience with Croom came back when I was covering the NFL, and he was an assistant coach with the Green Bay Packers. 

More than once I asked him for a couple of minutes of his time after practice, and he was always accommodating and insightful. From his players back then, through his head coaching years and even now when the worthy accolades are finally catching up to him, the same word immediately comes to mind and is associated with Croom more than any other: 

Respect. 

Congratulations and well done.

College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2022

PLAYERS:

• LaVar Arrington – LB, Penn State (1997-99)
• Champ Bailey – DB, Georgia (1996-98)
• Michael Crabtree – WR, Texas Tech (2007-08)
• Sylvester Croom – C, Alabama (1972-74)
• Mike Doss – S, Ohio State (1999-2002)
• Chuck Ealey – QB, Toledo (1969-71)
• Kevin Faulk – AP/RB, LSU (1995-98)
• Moe Gardner – DT, Illinois (1987-90)
• Boomer Grigsby – LB, Illinois State (2001-04)
• Mike Hass – WR, Oregon State (2002-05)
• Marvin Jones – LB, Florida State (1990-92)
• Andrew Luck – QB, Stanford (2009-11)
• Mark Messner – DT, Michigan (1985-88)
• Terry Miller – RB, Oklahoma State (1974-77)
• Rashaan Salaam – RB, Colorado (1992-94)
• Dennis Thomas – C, Alcorn State (1971-73)
• Zach Wiegert – OT, Nebraska (1991-94)
• Roy Williams – DB, Oklahoma (1999-2001)

COACHES:

• John Luckhardt – 225-70-2 (76.1%); Washington & Jefferson [PA] (1982-98), California [PA] (2002-11)
• Billy Jack Murphy – 91-44-1 (67.3%); Memphis (1958-71)
• Gary Pinkel – 191-110-3 (63.3%); Toledo (1991-2000), Missouri (2001-15)

College Football Hall of Fame Bio

Sylvester Croom
University of AlabamaCenter, 1972-74

Highlighted by a national championship, Sylvester Croom was a leader at center during one of the most successful runs in Alabama history. The Tuscaloosa, Alabama, native becomes the 20th Crimson Tide player to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

A 1974 First Team All-American, Croom helped the Crimson Tide to a UPI national title in 1973. The 1974 First Team All-SEC selection and Jacobs Blocking Trophy recipient led Alabama to three consecutive conference titles. The 1974 team captain led the Tide to three bowl games and three top 10 final national rankings (No. 7 in 1972, No. 4 in 1973 and No. 5 in 1974).

Behind Croom's stellar blocking, the Tide averaged 414.7 yards per game in 1972, 480.7 yards per game in 1973 and 388.3 yards per game in 1974. During his three seasons, Alabama posted an impressive 32-4 record, with only one loss coming during the regular season. Croom capped his collegiate career in the 1975 Senior Bowl after playing for College Football Hall of Fame Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant and alongside Hall of Famers John Hannah, Woodrow Lowe and Ozzie Newsome in Tuscaloosa. He was inducted into the State of Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2020, and the Crimson Tide's spring practice award is named the Sylvester Croom Commitment to Excellence Award in his honor.

After going undrafted in 1975, Croom played one season with the New Orleans Saints before returning to Alabama to begin his storied coaching career. After serving on the Crimson Tide staff from 1976-86 under his former coach Bryant and Ray Perkins, he then coached in the NFL from 1987-2003. In 2004, Croom made history when Mississippi State hired him as the first Black head football coach in SEC history. He was named the SEC Coach of Year in 2007. Following five seasons at Mississippi State, Croom returned to the NFL as an assistant coach before retiring following the 2017 season.

Croom is heavily involved with College View Baptist Church, which was started by his father who was an All-American at Alabama A&M.

See Also:

For more about Sylvester Croom we strongly recommend checking out the Rick Bragg story on him for Sports Illustrated (April 18, 2004):

Long Time Coming As the SEC's first black head football coach, Sylvester Croom knows he is a symbol, but he's more concerned with helping Mississippi State win a few games

The All Things CW notes column by Christopher Walsh appeared in five parts this week, one each day leading up to Saturday's game against Mississippi State.

Take 1: Alabama's Penalty Problem Isn't Just Bad, But Horrendous

Take 2: Which Alabama Players are Getting the Most Penalties

Take 3: Are Penalties the First Real Crack in the Alabama Dynasty?

Take 4: Everyone, Not Just Alabama, Should Be Upset About Non-Targeting Call

Take 5: Alabama's Loss Only Raises the Stakes for Crimson Tide Players