Former Nebraska Defensive Tackle Jared Crick Named Cozad High School Head Coach

A former Husker has joined the high school coaching ranks for his central Nebraska alma mater.

Jared Crick, a Nebraska Blackshirt and former NFL defensive lineman, was announced as the next head coach for Cozad High School on Monday afternoon. The Cozad native will become a coach for the first time after transitioning to an account executive at Farm Bureau Financial Services following his successful football career

“I am proud and humbled to be announced as the Head Football Coach of my Alma Mater, to which I owe a great deal of credit and appreciation to the many that have come before me,” Crick said in the press release from Cozad Public Schools. “Great people, who’ve shaped my life, resulting in the responsibility I now have before me as the leader of this program.”

Crick had one of the most productive careers in Nebraska football history before his final season was cut short in 2011 by injury. The second-team All-American had a career total of 167 tackles, 35 tackles for loss, and 20 sacks. He finished in the top 10 of Nebraska’s career sacks list and ended just outside of the top 10 in career tackles for loss.

The Cozad native earned second-team All-Nebraska honors as a Haymaker during his prep career, aiding then coach Ron Bubak to compile an 8-3 record and reach the second round of the Class B playoffs in 2006.

After his high school tenure, Crick paired with All-American Ndamukong Suh in 2009 to create one of the most formidable interior defensive lines in college football history. Crick posted 73 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, and 9.5 sacks. He had five sacks and seven tackles for loss against Baylor, earning him national and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honors.

Crick was a two-time All-Big 12 honoree and appeared on the cover of the 2011 Sports Illustrated college football preview issue. Following his senior campaign, the Houston Texans selected him in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft. He finished his professional career with 199 career tackles over five seasons playing for the Texans and the Denver Broncos.

Following back surgery in September of 2017, Crick was placed on injured reserve and eventually retired from football.

Crick replaces Jayce Dueland who is leaving the Cozad school system at the end of the school year for an administrative position in the Lexington school system. Crick takes over a program that is coming off a berth in the Class C1 state playoffs last year.

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