South Alabama head men’s basketball coach Richie Riley has announced the promotion of Rodney Crawford to the position of associate head coach.
“Rock is one of the best coaches in the country and more than deserving of the title of associate head coach,” Riley said. “Not only has he proven his value as a basketball coach, but also as an incredible mentor for our players. There is no question in my mind that he will be a head coach at the Division I level.”
Crawford is entering his third season with the Jaguars after coming to Mobile from Cincinnati where he served as the director of player personnel for the Bearcats. In two seasons at South, Crawford has helped lead the Jags to a record of 40-28 including a 21-win season during the 2021-22 campaign and a run to the Sun Belt Conference Championship game in 2023.
“I want to thank head coach Richie Riley for this opportunity to be named associate head coach,” said Crawford. “He has done an amazing job of turning the program around and the best is yet to come. It is a privilege to be a Jaguar under the great leadership of Dr. Joel Erdmann. My family and I love the city of Mobile, and are proud to represent the University of South Alabama.”
Before joining the staff at Cincinnati, Crawford spent four seasons on the coaching staff at Fordham. After joining the staff as an assistant coach, Crawford was promoted to associate head coach for his last-three seasons with the program. He joined the staff at Fordham after a three-year run as an assistant coach at Eastern Kentucky where he helped the Colonels win 70 games, the most during a three-year period in school history. Crawford’s time at EKU also included an Ohio Valley Conference Championship and trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2014.
Crawford began his coaching career in 2004 as the head coach of Harmony (Ohio) Community School, where he coached more than 20 future NCAA Division I players. After serving as head coach at Mountain State (W.Va.) during the 2009-10 campaign, he then spent two years as an assistant at Duquesne. He played his college ball at Cincinnati where he was a two-year letterwinner on a team that went a combined 56-14 and made the NCAA Tournament each season.
Crawford promoted to Associate Head Coach at South Alabama
