Kerry Crabb named new Saddleback College head football coach

MISSION VIEJO - The Saddleback athletics department announced on Thursday that Kerry Crabb will take over as the new head football coach for the school.  Crabb had been serving as an assistant coach under retiring head coach Mark McElroy.

Crabb becomes the sixth head coach in program history.  He has spent the last 15 years as an assistant under coach McElroy, serving three years on the offensive side of the ball as a quarterback coach before moving to the defensive side where he worked as the linebacker coach and more recently the safety coach. Crabb has also served as the recruiting coordinator and director of strength and conditioning for the program during his tenure. 

"I am truly humbled and excited to be named the head football coach at Saddleback College," Crabb said.  "Having the ability to coach at this institution for the past 15 years with some great coaches has been a truly unique experience. That being said, I look forward to stepping into this leadership role and continuing to build on the excellence of this program."

Crabb takes over a program that has had just seven losing seasons since 1968.  The Saddleback football program has won 24 conference/division titles in 52 seasons, going 395-154-7 overall. 

"The fundamental mission of Saddleback College football will stand," Crabb said.  "Whenever I recruit athletes to Saddleback, I am always reminding them that the greatness and excellence of Saddleback College football has been forged by those that have come before them."

Crabb graduated from Dana Hills High School before playing football at Saddleback College in 1977 and 1978.  Following his days at Saddleback, Crabb transferred to California State University, Chico, where he played football and earned a bachelor's degree in biology.  He later earned a master's degree in education from Azusa Pacific University.

Previous to Saddleback, Crabb was the head coach at West Torrance High School from 1991-1994 and the head coach at Cypress High School from 1997-2004. 

(Brad Hoiseth, Saddleback College Athletics)