Know your Trojan coach: Mo Crain

TROY - Maurea “Mo” Crain is in his second full season with the Trojans as defensive tackles coach. He was hired after Mike Pelton left for Iowa State and got to Troy in time for the New Orleans Bowl in 2006 from Tyler (Texas) Junior College. He played his college ball at Iowa in the mid-1990s.

What was the process of getting you to Troy?
Mike Pelton had suggested me to Coach Blakeney. They called me at the junior college at the time, and everyone in junior college wants to be in Division I, so it was a no-brainer at the time. They said ‘You want to be here,’ and I said ‘sure’ and I was on the road the next day.

How long was the drive?
Ten (hours). I got behind every log truck in the state of Alabama. I couldn’t pass, because there would be another log truck on the other side.

Got satellite radio to pass the time?
I’ve got my ipod, so I played some jazz.

How much coaching did you do in the bowl game?
Very little. All I had to do was help out with the signals. I lost my headset. Frankie Lloyd was getting held, but I thought I shouldn’t throw my headset off on national TV. I had to tone it down, but those guys knew what to do. They were rolling.

Biggest difference between JUCO and Division I?
Football is football. You want to win at every level, but you’ve got a few more things to deal with (at JUCO) off the field because you wear so many different hats. Study hall, equipment, cleaning up the field, all of that.

Did you have to coach other sports at JUCO?
I was an assistant weight training coach. One year we got archery, but we’ll never do that again. A friend of mine tried to coach archery, but we won’t do that again. Kids and bows don’t make a good combination.

What made you get into coaching?
Most players who want to play at the next level who don’t get to go want to stay around the game in some fashion, so I got into coaching. My high school coach suggested it, I said OK, and I’ve been doing it since ’94.

What’s the big recruiting differences between JUCO and four-year?
It’s easier there because grades aren’t an issue. After a while some kids get tired of dealing with the test score, so they don’t mind going to a junior college for two years because they have the same academics – they still have to graduate from junior college. Unfortunately our success (at JUCO) depends on someone not being successful in the classroom.

Most memorable coaching moment?
Getting to go to Arizona to work with NFL coaches (at the NFL Minority Coaches Workshop). That’s something I had never done. The precision, timing and consistency in which they do things is amazing. As far as coaching, winning the national championship at Valdosta.

Was that something you had been working to get into?
I had been applying for 11 years. The year I got accepted, I didn’t even apply. They asked me if I’d like to do it, and I said I’d love to. They asked me back last year, so I guess I didn’t do too bad.

Most embarrassing coaching moment?
It was raining, and I was running to the middle of the field to celebrate with my players since we had won. I slipped in the mud and fell on my back, then all my players jumped on top of me. This was at Valdosta, a pretty nice, tight-knit group there. They put it on the highlight video, no doubt. It was worth it, they loved it.

Most heartbreaking coaching moment?
Losing the national championship in ’02 (at Valdosta). We were in the lead and we lost the lead. It was like, ‘Wow, what could I have done different.’

Career goals?
I’d love to be in the NFL and be the best at what I can do so far.