CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Tim Murphy, The Thomas Stephenson Family Head Coach for Harvard Football, has announced the hiring of Ryan Crawford as an assistant head coach. Crawford, who is returning for his second stint, will work primarily with the program's secondary and special teams.
 
For the last five seasons, Crawford has spent time at the Football Subdivision (FBS) level, coaching at Wake Forest and more recently, at Navy.
 
During a four-year stint with the Demon Deacons, Crawford tutored the secondary and served as their assistant special teams coordinator his final two campaigns. In those four seasons, Wake Forest compiled a 30-19 record, appeared in four bowl games, and rose to as high as No. 10 in the nation in 2021.
 
After a season in which Wake Forest finished 11-3, Crawford went to Navy to coach its safeties. While in Annapolis, Maryland, Crawford helped the Midshipmen defense finish second in the nation in rushing defense and first downs defense, 22^nd in sacks, 28^th in fumbles recovered, and 31^st in total defense.
 
Prior to his time in the FBS, Crawford was on Murphy's staff from 2012-17, leading the defensive backs and the special teams unit. In six years, Crawford helped Harvard captured three Ivy League championships, while helping the Crimson's defensive and special teams groups be one of the most feared nationally on an annual basis.
 
Before his first stint at Harvard, Crawford spent four seasons at Rhode Island (defensive coordinator, recruiting coordinator), three at Bucknell (cornerbacks) and two at his alma mater Davidson (quarterbacks, defensive backs).
 
Crawford earned his bachelor's degree in biology from Davidson in 2001, following a successful playing career that saw him earn Associated Press All-America First-Team honors in 1999, after leading the country with eight interceptions, and be named the 2000 NCAA I-AA Mid-Major Defensive Back of the Year. He was later inducted into the Davidson Hall of Fame in 2012, as part of the school's 23^rd induction class.
 
With his collegiate playing days in the books, Crawford embarked on a professional playing career that took him to the Indiana Firebirds of the Arena Football League and the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League.