VERMILLION, S.D.—South Dakota head coach Bob Nielson is pleased to announce that coaching veteran Ron Crook has agreed to be the special teams and tight ends coach for the Coyotes. Crook's career has spanned three decades and includes stops at Cincinnati, West Virginia, Stanford, Harvard and Illinois.
 
"Coach Crook is a tremendous person and football coach," said Nielson. "He brings a wealth of experience to our staff that will benefit the development of our program and our players."
 
Crook most recently served as offensive line coach at Cincinnati from 2017-21. The Bearcats have won back-to-back AAC titles and became the first group of five team to compete in the College Football Playoff this past season.
 
"I am extremely excited to join the staff at South Dakota," said Crook. "Athletics is very important to the university and the community. I feel really lucky to be a Coyote and to work for Coach Nielson and with the rest of the staff."
 
Crook has been an offensive line coach throughout his career, but he doubled as special teams coordinator early on at Clarion, Glenville State and West Virginia Institute of Technology. He was at Harvard from 2003-10, Stanford from 2011-12 and West Virginia from 2013-16 prior to arriving at Cincinnati.
 
His resume includes the tutelage of 38 all-conference players, nine all-Americans and nine NFL players. He has been a part of 10 championship-winning teams, worked with a pair of teams that made the NCAA Division II playoffs and has now coached inside the College Football Playoff.
 
The list of Bowl Games Crook has coached in is extensive and includes: Cotton (2021), Peach (2020), Birmingham (2019), Military (2018), Russel Athletic (2016), Cactus (2015), Liberty (2014), Rose (2012) and Fiesta (2011).
 
Crook was an offensive lineman collegiately at West Liberty State from 1986-88. He is originally from Parkersburg, West Virginia. He and his wife, Stacy, have three children, Andrew, Cian and Kenley.