Craft Announces His Retirement
Legendary Riverside City College football coach Tom Craft announces his retirement following the 2024 season. Craft closes out a historic 30-year run at the junior college level, spanning three powerhouse programs, and finishes his career with a 261-78-1 record – the best record of any two-year college football coach in their first 30 seasons at the helm of a program.
Craft took over the reins at RCC in 2010, becoming the Tigers' 18th head coach, and became the winningest head football coach in program history and in Southern California. He leaves the Tigers with a 146-22 record (86.9 winning percentage), two 3C2A State Championships, 12 conference titles, 14 consecutive postseason appearances and 10 straight Southern California Football Association title games.
In 2019, Craft surpassed the century-win mark, becoming the first California community college football coach to win over 100 games with two programs. His 102nd win led the Tigers to their first 3C2A State Championship and first National Championship in 30 years and their second undefeated season under Craft (13-0). RCC also went undefeated in 2011 with an 11-0 mark and had four regular season undefeated records (2011, 18, 19, 22).
Over his 30-year career, Craft won more conference titles (21) faster than any community college coach and his postseason wins (28) are the most amongst junior college coaches, while he is tied for the most State Championships after helping three different programs to State titles: three with Palomar (1991, 93, 98), one with Mt. San Antonio College (2009) and two with Riverside (2019, 23).
Craft has the most 40 postseason bowl/playoff appearances, including 24-straight postseason appearances. In the 14 times his teams have made it to the Southern California Championship game, Craft's team has won eight championships. He is a two-time AFCA National Community College Coach of the Year, five-time 3C2A Coach of the Year, 10-time Regional Coach of the Year, and 19-time Conference Coach of the Year.
During his tenure at the two-year level, over 600 of Craft's student-athletes have transferred to four-year programs at both Palomar and RCC.
Craft has served over 20 years as a state representative on the Football Coaches Association, including Second Vice President, First Vice President, and chaired the All-State and All-America committees. He has also served on the SCFA Executive Board and Competition Committee, as well as the Mountain West Committee for Instant Replay – which influenced the rest of college football to adopt.
Earlier this year, it was announced that Craft will be inducted into the Riverside Sport Hall of Fame in May. He also was inducted into the Monterey Peninsula College Hall of Fame and Palomar College Hall of Fame.