National Football Foundation

Jake Crouthamel, director of athletics at Syracuse University since 1978, is the third recipient of the National Football Foundation's John L. Toner Award. The award is presented to an athletic director who has demonstrated superior administrative abilities and outstanding dedication to college athletics and particularly college fooball. Crouthamel joins John Toner, after whom the award was named, and Doug Dickey as Toner Award winners.

The award is also presented posthumously this year to David M. Nelson.

Crouthamel has been making his unique mark in football ever since he starred on a Pennridge High School team that won 26 of 27 games in three years. He also earned three letters in track and two in basketball, was All-League in all three sports and was named the school's top athlete.

At Dartmouth College, Crouthamel was a two-way halfback, leading the Big Green to a 19-6-2 record from 1957-59. He set a career school rushing record that stood until 1973. He was twice named All-Ivy, second team All-America once and earned three letters in football, two in rugby and one in track. In 1981, he was selected to the Ivy League Silver Annivesary All-Star Team.

After Crouthamel received his B.A. in history in 1960, he became the first player ever signed by the expansion NFL Dallas Cowboys. Unfortunately, he was the last player released from training camp. However, he was signed by another first year team, the AFL's Boston Patriots, where he played until entering the Navy in 1961.

It was in the Navy that Crouthamel put away his playing pads and picked up a coach's playbook.
He did so very successfully leading the Pearl Harbor Naval Team to the 1962 Armed Forces League Championship. Coaching fit Crouthamel like a good glove.

After his Navy hitch Crouthamel got a job coaching at Mercersburg (PA) Academy. The next year, Hall of Fame coach Bob Blackman brought his former favorite halfback to Dartmouth as assistant coach. The reunion worked well and when Blackman moved on, Crouthamel moved up, succeeding his coach as head coach in 1971.

That was Crouthamel's first and last stint as a college football head coach. He led the Big Green eleven for seven years, won two league titles, shared one other and compiled a respectable 41-20-2 record. He resigned after the 1977 season. A few months later, in March of 1978, he took on an even greater challenge as the ninth director of athletics at Syracuse.

He changed colors from the Big Green to the Big Orange and his involvement from one sport, football, to all sports. Again, very successfully. Big East Conference commissioner Michael Tranghese calls him "one of the premiere athletic administrators in the country." He has made important contributions to his conference, the NCAA and was a member of the NFF Honors Court.

You look to the man and what he believes to understand the reasons for his reputation and success. "I believe in the educational value of athletics," Crouthamel has said. believe that you should treat people with dignity. But if you are going to keep score, then it is clear what your goals are, and they are immediate goals. In our business, it only takes a couple of hours to achieve. And that's to win."

During Crouthamel's stewardship, Syracuse has brought home 18 various Big East championships. In basketball, Syracuse counts 17 post-season bids and two NCAA championship game appearances. The lacrosse team has won six national championships. There have been post-season appearances in women's basketball, field hockey, gymnastics, soccer, swimming, track and field, and women's rowing. Women's soccer, lacrosse and softball have been added to the school's sports menu over the past few years.

In football, Syracuse has made 12 bowl appearances (8-3-1), celebrated one undefeated season and recently shared the Big East Conference championship in 1996, then claimed it alone in both 1997 and 1998.

Behind the on-field success is an important off-field perspective. Crouthamel believes "the best learning experience is preparing an athletic team for a major game against a team that may be better than you are. If you can do that and do it successfully, and carry those lessons with you, then you can literally relate almost everything to that."