Jim Criner

Early life and playing career

Born in Lurton, Arkansas, Criner was a four-sport athlete in California at Coachella Valley High School in Thermal. He attended Palo Verde Junior College, then transferred to Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, where he played fullback.

Coaching career

High school football and college assistant coaching

Criner began his career as an assistant to Jim Hanifan at Charter Oak High School (1963), and then was an assistant under head coach Leonard Cohn at Claremont High School (1964) and then was head coach at Clovis High School.

Criner 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 became the secondary coach at California for two seasons, and in 1972 moved to BYU for a season. He was the offensive line coach in 1973 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.

Boise State

Following UCLA's Rose Bowl 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. Criner's first contract at BSU was for one year at $24,200.

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, and defeated Grambling 14–9 in the first round (semifinals) in a 22 F fog in Boise. The following week they traveled to Sacramento and defeated defending champion Eastern Kentucky 31–29 for the Division I-AA 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 EKU the following week in Texas. In Criner's seven seasons at Boise State, the Broncos were in conference, and overall.

Iowa State

Following the 1982 season at BSU, Criner became the 27th head coach at Iowa State University of the Big Eight Conference. He had a five-year contract for $58,000 annually, but lasted only four seasons in Ames. He was fired from this position in November 1986, when the school announced the organization had made 34 allegations of wrongdoing in the football program. Allegations included coaches giving players cash as well as giving recruits rides and meals. His record with the Cyclones was overall and in conference play.

Aix-en-Provence Argonautes, France

Reached 2009 semi-final of French top level Ligue Élite de Football Américain league playoffs.

Amiens Spartiates (Spartans), France

2012 Ligue Élite de Football Américain league Champion with the Amiens Spartans, France

Personal life

Criner has three brothers and two sisters; all three of his brothers had prominent sports careers. His son, Mark, was his defensive coordinator in the XFL for the Las Vegas Outlaws and went on to coach at Cincinnati, Minnesota, and Middle Tennessee State among others. Grandson Calin Criner (born 1997) is a defensive graduate assistant at Boise State University

Head coaching record

College

XFL

Notes

References

References

1. Schoffner, Chuck. (November 16, 1986). "Jim Criner's firing ends 21 months of unrest at Iowa State". Los Angeles Times.
2. (February 14, 1976). "Boise St. hires UCLA grid assistant". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
3. (February 14, 1976). "Boise selects Criner; ISU elevates aide". Spokesman-Review.
4. (January 30, 1976). "Knap leaves Boise State for Las Vegas". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
5. (January 30, 1976). "Boise's Knap off to Vegas". Spokesman-Review.
6. (November 16, 1978). "Boise St. coach admits to scouting violation". Daily News.
7. (December 17, 1978). "Big Sky's down hard on Boise". Spokesman Review.
8. (December 18, 1978). "Probation slapped on Boise State football". Ellensburg Daily Record.
9. (December 14, 1980). "Defense difference for Boise State". Reading Eagle.
10. (December 22, 1980). "Boise gets title". Spokane Daily Chronicle.
11. (January 30, 1983). "Iowa State tabs BSU's Criner to take over head football post". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
12. (January 31, 1983). "Setencich to replace Criner at BSU". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
13. (January 30, 1983). "Boise State's coach moves to Iowa State". New York Times.