Sylvester Croom Hired As Jaguars RB Coach, According To Report

by Alfie Crow on Jan 19, 2012 7:31 PM EST in Jacksonville Jaguars News

As the Jacksonville Jaguars offensive staff begins to come together, the team added another piece to the puzzle this evening. Former St. Louis Rams running backs coach and Mississippi State head coach Sylvester Croom has been hired as the new Jaguars running backs coach, according to a report by Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Jacksonville to hire Sylvester Croom as running backs coach. Croom was Rams running backs coach for three yeas under Steve Spagnuolo.
— Jim Thomas (@jthom1) January 20, 2012

There was some speculation this report was premature, but Florida Times-Union beat writer Tania Ganguli was able to confirm the hire.

What is accurate, is that the #Jaguars are set to hire Sylvester Croom as running backs coach.
— Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) January 20, 2012

Croom actually has quite a bit of NFL experience as an NFL running backs coach, having served the position for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Indianapolis Colts, San Diego Chargers, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, and most recently with the Rams.

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another solid addition to the coaching staff

maybe he can unleash the Deji Karim we all would love to see?

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by Jagsrok9008 on Jan 19, 2012 7:39 PM EST reply actions

Deji is too small. He’s a situational guy.

I need my meds.

by viralencore on Jan 19, 2012 7:40 PM EST up reply actions

as of right now

he has shown the inability to even be an effective situational guy. I also like how you call a guy bigger then MJD "too small

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by Jagsrok9008 on Jan 19, 2012 7:42 PM EST up reply actions

Deji sucks.

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by JPQ! on Jan 19, 2012 7:45 PM EST up reply actions

Lets see

Maurice is 5’7" 208, Deji is 5’8" 209, Maurice has more mass, and has a thicker frame. He did have a 4.4 40 yard dash, and I would like to see him, turn into a darren sproles type of player, really quick feet, and quick bursts. Just screens and outside runs.

Anyone interested in making money easy and quick on the interne, let me know through twitter or facebook(preferably facebook).
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by rhettchrystal on Jan 19, 2012 7:53 PM EST up reply actions

If every team keeps three running backs

he sucks bad enough to be one of the 100 best running backs in the world

Section 442, RIP
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by unhipcat on Jan 19, 2012 8:44 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

32 x 3 = 96

one of the 96 best running backs in the world*

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by rhettchrystal on Jan 19, 2012 8:47 PM EST up reply actions

Deji come and I want to go home

Shake and Bake

by theMAGICman on Jan 19, 2012 8:53 PM EST up reply actions

I am done w deji and his 2.1 ypc average.

by Slawsc on Jan 19, 2012 9:00 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

lets see

87-90 bucs
91 colts
92-96 chargers(94=Natrone Means – 1,350 yards, Croom arguably developed him into a good back)
97-00 lions(97=Barry Sanders – 2,053 yards, 98=Barry Sanders – 1,491 yards, 00=James Stewart – 1,184 yards)
01-03 packers(01=Ahman Green – 1,387 yards, 02=Ahman Green – 1,240 yards, 03=Ahman Green – 1,883 yards)
04-08 was in Mississippi State(not checking anything there)
09-11 rams(09=Steven Jackson – 1,416 yards, 10=Steven Jackson – 1,241 yards, 11=Steven Jackson – 1,145 yards

So in the pros, as you can see, ever since 1997(besides 99), Croom has been on teams with great backs, he has a lot of experience with good backs, and this experience should help him further develop Rashad and Deji/Dujuan/whoever. And as usual he’s on a team with a great bacj(MJD)

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by rhettchrystal on Jan 19, 2012 7:48 PM EST reply actions

I hope Croom was critical go Jackson's success

Because that guy is a monster. One of the few less appreciated than MoJo

Section 442, RIP
"You think you know, but you don't know."

by unhipcat on Jan 19, 2012 8:12 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

When healthy hes top 6 rbs

by Jermaside4 on Jan 19, 2012 8:14 PM EST up reply actions

nope

jackson was there long before croom.

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by rhettchrystal on Jan 19, 2012 8:27 PM EST up reply actions

At MSU

He worked with Anthony Dixon and Jerious Norwood. They were beast on at the college level.

by TealTongueJag on Jan 20, 2012 12:36 PM EST up reply actions

First Black head coach in the SEC

"The Jaguars need Jacksonville, and Jacksonville needs the Jaguars"
-Shahid Khan

by tiquanunderwear on Jan 19, 2012 8:23 PM EST reply actions

I never paid more attention to our coaching staff, until now……I love what we putting together.

by orecic76 on Jan 19, 2012 8:49 PM EST via mobile reply actions

Another pretty solid hire

I always thought he was a pretty good coach he just couldn’t compete with Alabama and LSU when it came to recruiting

Shake and Bake

by theMAGICman on Jan 19, 2012 9:01 PM EST reply actions

Another excellent hire, I really like the staff Mularkey is putting together

I especially like this guy, He has the name of a winner..lol

by Sylvester.The.Jaguar.fan on Jan 19, 2012 9:15 PM EST reply actions

whats everyone think of coaching staff?

Wow Murlarkey sure is putting a good staff together huh? what does everyone else think? And I heard ron zook might be coming in as special teams coach

by jagsfan30302011 on Jan 19, 2012 9:16 PM EST reply actions

Sylvester just couldnt recruit as said above

He’s a helluva coach though.

SCALP'EM
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by Thunder64 on Jan 19, 2012 9:29 PM EST via mobile reply actions

Funny how these Florida Sport's Radio Personalities talk crap about the Jags being the worst FL NFL franchise

Yet the Dolphins and Bucs can’t sell out games or get anybody to coach their pathetic teams.

by Slvrgun on Jan 19, 2012 9:41 PM EST reply actions

I fully agree…..everyone questioned our hire, I’m waiting to hear credit given for the great job Mularkey is doing of putting a great staff together……..go JAGS!

by orecic76 on Jan 19, 2012 11:16 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

byner

Wonder if he was even considerd. Coaching 2 rbs who won rushing titles is pretty impressive. But croom seems to be a good hire with a good resume’. .

by EZ904 on Jan 19, 2012 9:58 PM EST via mobile reply actions

the backs were already good.......

……Karim regressed.

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by rhettchrystal on Jan 19, 2012 11:10 PM EST up reply actions

Deji Karim gets cut next season.

by orecic76 on Jan 19, 2012 11:17 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

Kind of funny that jDR

couldn’t attract any good coaches and Malarkey can. What does this say about Jack.

by JagSoldier on Jan 19, 2012 10:09 PM EST reply actions

It says they don't like one year deals

by Sylvester.The.Jaguar.fan on Jan 19, 2012 10:35 PM EST up reply actions

I was thinking the opposite.

A large number of assistants were kept. It was Dirk Koetter on offense that couldn’t play well with others.

Let’s watch who goes to Atlanata.

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by Tkopa on Jan 20, 2012 6:51 PM EST up reply actions

He will be a good coach. Now we just need Gene and murlarkey to draft a few good players in the draft along with Targeting some good offensive weapons and we can really be a great foot ball team doing that

by jagsfan30302011 on Jan 19, 2012 10:41 PM EST reply actions

Great Players...

make their coaches look good.

by spooboy on Jan 19, 2012 10:49 PM EST reply actions

I hope Croom is going to help continue MJD's success...

and develop our young smallish RBs minus Rashad Jennings but I would rather have Byner back. He has shown he can make our top RBs more successful. He was CJs coach at TEN when he won the rushing title and set a record, MJD was in the running last year for the title before her got injured under Byner, and this year MJD has the rushing title under Byner. We can say MJD succeeded under Pola as well but as good as Pola was MJD was not in the running for the rushing title ever under him. When byner came in, MJD became a contender.

by WNECjagfan on Jan 19, 2012 11:05 PM EST reply actions

Just a thought....

I understand that new head coaches like to have there own staff, and not use the old staff. That being said, Mularkey did keep certain members of the defensive staff in place (Tucker, Cullen, and Duffner), and I assume it was because they were key in bringing a defense from the bottom of the NFL to near the top. I wonder why the same consideration was not given to Earnest Byner, who helped guide MJD to the rushing tittle? Again, just a thought.

by GAJAGFAN on Jan 20, 2012 9:43 AM EST reply actions

I thought...

about that too. It’s unfair to Byner but he should be able to rebound quickly. With him having two rushing titles under his belt with Johnson’s 2000 yard season and Jones-Drew last year, he shouldn’t have that hard of a time finding work.

by kjones407 on Jan 20, 2012 11:20 AM EST up reply actions

You are probably right.....

just wonder if it is the best move for the Jags and MJD!

by GAJAGFAN on Jan 20, 2012 11:23 AM EST up reply actions

We'll see.

It most likely won’t have much of an impact on Maurice, so if coach Croom can help Jennings and whoever is kept as the third back make progress, then we should be fine.

by kjones407 on Jan 20, 2012 11:28 AM EST up reply actions

I think

you’re giving him too much credit for MJD winning the rushing title, him winning the rushing title had more to do with an all time bad passing game, than Byner. Karim regressed under Byner

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by theMAGICman on Jan 20, 2012 11:22 AM EST up reply actions

I agree...

with the Deji comment. I would like to see him get going again, him being a fellow Saluki!

by GAJAGFAN on Jan 20, 2012 11:24 AM EST up reply actions

Crxxm lost a game 3-2 to Auburn as HC at MissState

Baby I’m Burnin’ [click for highlights]

Crxxm was a solid coach for Miss State, known for ‘dong things right’. Unfortunately, he was never successful there. He failed to retain the local talent and could not compete in the SECw with Alabama, LSU, and Auburn on the field. His offense never really took shape and his RBs were never of too much note (perhaps this is due to inability to recruit top talents there).

...I can count my years in scars...

by Boozy McHound on Jan 20, 2012 10:04 AM EST reply actions

I'd just like to see the staff remain stable for 3 years...

JDR never seemed to have the same staff from year to year and I think that lack of continuity affected the team’s progress.

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by SicilianJag on Jan 20, 2012 10:52 AM EST reply actions

That's an astute observation.

It was definately one of Del Rio’s short comings as a coach.

by kjones407 on Jan 20, 2012 11:21 AM EST up reply actions

Go jags

Yeah I can’t wait for our team to really dominate and then all the critics who say we can never been good will be silenced. All I hear is negativity towards our Jaguars by ESPN and other stations. Its time for our Jaguars to Rise and start kicking everyones tail and then we wont hear them say oh well jags are not that good. Especially those that have taken shots at us hiring murlarkey. From the staff he is putting together it is very solid!

by jagsfan30302011 on Jan 20, 2012 11:21 AM EST reply actions

Puzzled

Somebody help me out here. Why are they looking to replace Ernest Byner?? He only helped produce the #1 runner in the NFL and a 2 time pro bowl runner. What else was it they expected Coach Byner to do? If this action is reflective of the way the new coach and the GM think then I think we need to ask them to produce their High School diplomas, because in my feeble mind it raises the question of, what other less than stellar decisions are we likely to see from this outfit? The only explanation I can think of is that maybe the new coach wants to give more of his family members a job.

JimB
.

by JRB on Jan 20, 2012 2:09 PM EST reply actions

Maybe byner didnt want a long term contract and that is why he wasnt asked back or maybe it had to do with him developing other players. MJD won the rushing title because of a very hell of a run blocking offensive line that we have. Sylvester croom will be a very good coach

by jagsfan30302011 on Jan 20, 2012 2:15 PM EST reply actions