Saint Francis University Athletics

Recruiting Areas: Pennsylvania Districts 3, 5 and 9, West Virginia, Northern Maryland, Southern Ohio, Mississippi, Alabama

Jacob Craig enters his fourth year as a member of the Saint Francis Football coaching staff.  Craig has served as defensive line coach since the start of 2018 after working with the outside linebackers during the 2017 season.

Craig's unit was one of the tops in the NEC in 2019 as Saint Francis ranked second in the NEC in run defense and 15^th best in FCS (115.8 ypg). The Saint Francis defensive line led the NEC and ranked 7^th in FCS in tackles for loss (8.4 per game) and ranked second in the NEC with 34 sacks. Redshirt sophomore James Watkins anchored the group and earned NEC Second Team honors.

In 2018, Craig helped solidify a unit that led the Northeast Conference and was top-20 in the FCS in run defense, allowing just 119 rushing yards per game. Jalen Brown was named the first NEC Defensive Rookie of the Year since Lorenzo Jerome at the end of the season.

The Saint Francis outside linebackers aided the SFU defense to another dominant year in 2017, allowing just 14.6 points and 287.2 total yards per game as well as 149.5 passing yards and 137.6 rushing yards, leading the NEC in all four categories.  SFU allowed an opponent pass efficiency rating of just 96.2 and held opponents to just 63.6 percent in the Red Zone.  SFU ranked fifth in the nation in scoring defense, 10th in total defense, sixth in pass defense, third in pass efficiency defense and fourth in Red Zone defense.  SFU forced 25 turnovers, ranking 18th in the nation. SFU set a program record with four defensive touchdowns.
 
The Red Flash held nine of its 11 opponents to under 200 yards passing, four opponents to under 100 yards rushing and forced two or more turnovers in eight games.  Against NEC opponents, SFU allowed only four scoring drives longer than 60 yards and only 15 plays of 20 or more yards. In five games against non-conference opponents (four against full-scholarship programs), SFU allowed only six scoring drives over 60 yards and 11 plays of 20 or more yards.
 
Senior Zane Stewart led the Red Flash with 10 tackles for loss and tied for the team-lead with three sacks to go with 55 tackles, two forced fumbles, three QB hurries and a pass breakup.
 
Sophomore Da’Jon Lee collected 49 tackles, eight tackles for loss, three sacks, two forced fumbles, a pass breakup and three QB hurries.  Freshman Izzy Watson also saw time at outside linebacker with seven tackles, five solo and half a tackle for loss.
 
Craig joined the Red Flash after finishing his playing career at Clarion in 2016. He recorded 72 tackles and forced fumbles as a senior.  Craig played his last two seasons at Clarion after starting his career at the University of Pittsburgh as a walk-on.  He was a CoSIDA All-American in Division II as a senior at Clarion.
 
He is a Berlin, Pa. native and is an alum of Berlin Brothersvalley High School.  Craig lives with his wife, Laura and his son, Camden.