Cronic Named AFCA Region Coach of the Year for Second Time
December 6, 2016
WALESKA, Ga. - Reinhardt's Drew Cronic has been named the American Football Coaches Association NAIA Region 1 Coach of the Year for the second year in a row. The award was announced by the AFCA in Waco, Texas, Tuesday morning.
Cronic earned the award by guiding the Eagles to a perfect regular season for the first time in school history, as Reinhardt finished 11-0 and as champions of the Mid-South Conference West Division. Cronic's squad would go on to win the school's first-ever playoff games with a pair of victories in the 2016 NAIA Football Championship Series over Southeastern (Fla.) and Montana Tech. While RU would fall in the NAIA Semifinal to St. Francis, the Eagles still finished the season with a record of 13-1. Reinhardt closed the regular season ranked No. 3 in the NAIA Top 25 poll.
In 2015, Cronic earned the award for the first time by leading Reinhardt to a 9-2 overall record, including a 9-1 mark in the regular season. In his two years as head coach of the RU program, the Newnan, Ga., native now has a record of 22-3.
Hired by his father Dr. Danny Cronic, who was the program's first head coach, Drew Cronic served as the program's offensive coordinator since his hiring in January 2012. In August 2014, he was promoted to Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator.
Reinhardt's offense has flourished under Cronic. In the program's first year, the Eagles finished the season ranked 11th in the country with 35.8 points per game. RU averaged 463.9 yards per game in that inaugural season, the ninth-best mark in the country. On an individual basis, L.J. Stegall ranked in the top 10 nationally in four different categories, including scoring per game (11.3) and all-purpose yardage per game (162). He was 11th in the country in total points (102).
The next year was more of the same for the Eagles with Cronic calling plays. The Eagles averaged 25.6 first downs per game, the third-best mark in the country. The offense put up 484.6 yards per game (third in NAIA) with the rushing offense churning out 292.8 yards per game, the fourth-best total in all of NAIA. The Eagles scored 424 points, the eighth-most in the country. Stegall ranked fifth in the country in all-purpose yards per game (183.1) with quarterback Johnathon Chamblee finishing sixth in the country in pass efficiency (159.5).
In 2015, the Eagles finished second in the NAIA in points per game, scoring 51.9 points per contest over the 11-game schedule. The Eagles rolled up 3,830 rushing yards on the season to place second in the country as well. Niagel Curtis was named an NAIA All-American after leading the nation in scoring per game (14.2) and third in total scoring (156 points) via 26 total touchdowns. Ryan Thompson was an NAIA National Offensive Player of the Week during the season, and the quarterback finished fourth in the country in pass efficiency (166.5).
Immediately prior to joining the Eagles, Cronic was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Central High School in Carrollton, Ga.
More notably, Cronic served on the the coaching staff at Furman University for nine years, with the final four years spent as the recruiting coordinator. During his time with the Paladins, Cronic also coached the running backs, tight ends, and wide receivers. The Paladins reached the NCAA I-AA Semifinals in 2005 with Cronic, and also achieved three other I-AA playoff berths during that time.
Cronic spent time in Virginia as well as a wide receiver's coach and recruiting coordinator for James Madison. Cronic was at the school for three seasons, during which time the Dukes won the Atlantic-10 championship and reached the I-AA playoffs.
For one season, Cronic was also a graduate assistant coach at West Georgia. During his one year of service, UWG won the Gulf South Conference championship with Cronic coaching the wide receivers.
Cronic both graduated from and played for the University of Georgia. He lettered in 1996 and 1997, earning Southeastern Conference All-Academic honors. After graduating with a Bachelor's in Math Education in 1997, Cronic went on to earn his Master of Education in Educational Leadership in 1999 from UWG.
A native of Newnan, Ga., Drew Cronic currently resides in Waleska, with his wife Amelia (Williams). The couple have three sons (Noah - 12; Eli - 10; Isaiah - 3).
Cronic shares this year's honor with Chris Oliver of Lindsey Wilson.
Cronic earned the award by guiding the Eagles to a perfect regular season for the first time in school history, as Reinhardt finished 11-0 and as champions of the Mid-South Conference West Division. Cronic's squad would go on to win the school's first-ever playoff games with a pair of victories in the 2016 NAIA Football Championship Series over Southeastern (Fla.) and Montana Tech. While RU would fall in the NAIA Semifinal to St. Francis, the Eagles still finished the season with a record of 13-1. Reinhardt closed the regular season ranked No. 3 in the NAIA Top 25 poll.
In 2015, Cronic earned the award for the first time by leading Reinhardt to a 9-2 overall record, including a 9-1 mark in the regular season. In his two years as head coach of the RU program, the Newnan, Ga., native now has a record of 22-3.
Hired by his father Dr. Danny Cronic, who was the program's first head coach, Drew Cronic served as the program's offensive coordinator since his hiring in January 2012. In August 2014, he was promoted to Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator.
Reinhardt's offense has flourished under Cronic. In the program's first year, the Eagles finished the season ranked 11th in the country with 35.8 points per game. RU averaged 463.9 yards per game in that inaugural season, the ninth-best mark in the country. On an individual basis, L.J. Stegall ranked in the top 10 nationally in four different categories, including scoring per game (11.3) and all-purpose yardage per game (162). He was 11th in the country in total points (102).
The next year was more of the same for the Eagles with Cronic calling plays. The Eagles averaged 25.6 first downs per game, the third-best mark in the country. The offense put up 484.6 yards per game (third in NAIA) with the rushing offense churning out 292.8 yards per game, the fourth-best total in all of NAIA. The Eagles scored 424 points, the eighth-most in the country. Stegall ranked fifth in the country in all-purpose yards per game (183.1) with quarterback Johnathon Chamblee finishing sixth in the country in pass efficiency (159.5).
In 2015, the Eagles finished second in the NAIA in points per game, scoring 51.9 points per contest over the 11-game schedule. The Eagles rolled up 3,830 rushing yards on the season to place second in the country as well. Niagel Curtis was named an NAIA All-American after leading the nation in scoring per game (14.2) and third in total scoring (156 points) via 26 total touchdowns. Ryan Thompson was an NAIA National Offensive Player of the Week during the season, and the quarterback finished fourth in the country in pass efficiency (166.5).
Immediately prior to joining the Eagles, Cronic was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Central High School in Carrollton, Ga.
More notably, Cronic served on the the coaching staff at Furman University for nine years, with the final four years spent as the recruiting coordinator. During his time with the Paladins, Cronic also coached the running backs, tight ends, and wide receivers. The Paladins reached the NCAA I-AA Semifinals in 2005 with Cronic, and also achieved three other I-AA playoff berths during that time.
Cronic spent time in Virginia as well as a wide receiver's coach and recruiting coordinator for James Madison. Cronic was at the school for three seasons, during which time the Dukes won the Atlantic-10 championship and reached the I-AA playoffs.
For one season, Cronic was also a graduate assistant coach at West Georgia. During his one year of service, UWG won the Gulf South Conference championship with Cronic coaching the wide receivers.
Cronic both graduated from and played for the University of Georgia. He lettered in 1996 and 1997, earning Southeastern Conference All-Academic honors. After graduating with a Bachelor's in Math Education in 1997, Cronic went on to earn his Master of Education in Educational Leadership in 1999 from UWG.
A native of Newnan, Ga., Drew Cronic currently resides in Waleska, with his wife Amelia (Williams). The couple have three sons (Noah - 12; Eli - 10; Isaiah - 3).
Cronic shares this year's honor with Chris Oliver of Lindsey Wilson.