Mountain Empire Football Hall of fame
Inducted 2022
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John Cropp
Coach John Cropp was the head football coach at Tennessee High School in Bristol, TN from 1966-1972 where the Vikings compiled a 48-15-3 record concluding with two undefeated State Class AAA titles (1971-1972) and the 1972 National Championship. Cropp began college coaching in 1973 at Vanderbilt as Assistant Coach under Steve Sloan and followed Coach Sloan to Texas Tech (1975-77), winning 1976 SWC Championship, & then to Ole Miss (1978-82) & Duke (1983). He returned to his alma mater, Vanderbilt, to coach under George MacIntyre (1984-1985), highlighted by 1984 team defeating Alabama in Tuscaloosa, 30-21. Cropp then moved to Athletic Administration as Assistant Athletics Director for Compliance under Athletics Director Roy Kramer. In 1991 Cropp began the 1st of 22 years at University of Kentucky, working for C.M. Newton & Mitch Barnhart as Associate Athletics Director. At different times, he was responsible for administration of most of UK’s 22 athletic teams, most notable with football, soccer, & softball. Cropp retired in 2013, completing 40 years as coach/administrator in college athletics. He was honored at retirement with the new $9.5M Softball facility being named John Cropp Stadium. Cropp served as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army in Germany from 1962-1965. |