Sean Cronin - Football Coach - Central Michigan University Athletics

Photo by: Jack Reeber

Sean Cronin

Title:
Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach
Phone:
@CoachSeanCronin (X)
Year at CMU:
1st year at CMU
Hometown:
Detroit, Mich.
Alma Mater/Year:
Georgetown (Ky.)/2002
Experience:
23rd year in coaching

Sean Cronin is in his first season at Central Michigan as its defensive coordinator/linebackers coach. A 23-year college coaching veteran, Cronin returns to the Midwest on head coach Matt Drinkall’s coaching staff.

Known for tough, physical, and efficient play, Cronin has built a career while leading high-performing defensive units. The Detroit, Mich. native has coached on football staffs that have appeared in a combined nine bowl games, won two national FBS championships, and three conference titles.

Cronin recently completed his third season coaching the defensive line at Army West Point. In 2024, Cronin helped lead Army West Point to an 11-1 overall record, No. 22 national ranking in the College Football Playoff poll and an American Athletic Conference championship in Army’s first year in the league with a 35-14 win over Tulane in the AAC title game. The Black Knights accepted an invitation to the Independence Bowl on Dec. 28. His players Kyle Lewis and Cody Winokur were named team captains on the 2024 squad.

In 2023, Cronin’s group helped the Army defense rank No. 20 nationally in red zone defense. The unit saw positive contributions from Kyle Lewis, who recorded 25 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack as well as sophomore Jack Latore, who emerged as a pass rusher recording 2.5 sacks, and 4.5 tackles for loss. In 2022, Cronin oversaw a defensive front led by senior Kwabena Bonsu. Bonsu paced the defensive line group with 47 tackles (18 solo), 2.5 sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss and a forced fumble. Following the season, Bonsu was named to the College Football Network Second-Team All-Independent defensive team. Austin Hill was also named a team captain.

Cronin arrived at Army West Point following two seasons (2020-21) as the linebackers coach at Colorado State. Cronin's defensive front earned a No. 7 national ranking in fewest total yards allowed and ranked within the NCAA's top-30 in fewest total opponent points allowed. Colorado State also tied for No. 17 nationally in total sacks in 2021. In 2021, Cronin coached Cam'Ron Carter to a 100-tackle season that featured six sacks, nine tackles for loss, and an interception on his way to Phil Steele All-Mountain West recognition. Dequan Jackson also posted 84 tackles with 8.5 tackles for loss, with Jackson having earned second-team All-Mountain West honors the year prior under Cronin.

He also spent time at South Florida where he coached outside linebackers (2019) and defensive tackles (2017-18) for the Bulls. Cronin’s connection to former USF head coach Charlie Strong went back to the 2006 and 2008 National Championship-winning years they spent together at Florida when Cronin was a graduate assistant. Directing a young outside linebacker unit for the Bulls as all four members of the two deep at the strongside and weakside linebacker positions were either sophomores or freshmen, Cronin molded Dwayne Boyles into the team’s leading tackler (75) and generator of tackles for loss (12.5). Greg Reaves, another Cronin pupil, finished as the team's No. 4 tackler and sack leader (4.0) and trailed only Boyles in tackles for loss with 10.0. In his first season at USF, Cronin led a defensive tackles unit that helped USF rank No. 5 nationally in tackles for loss (8.4 per game) and No. 11 in sacks (3.00 per game). The defensive line helped USF’s defense finish ranked among the nation’s top-25 in six statistical categories and improve from No. 120 in total defense (482.0) and No. 92 in scoring (31.6) the prior season to No. 37 (359.8) and No. 41 (21.5), respectively, in 2017.

Defensive tackle Deadrin Senat posted a career-best year, logging 66 tackles, 6.0 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss, while fellow defensive tackle Bruce Hector led the team with 7.0 sacks and was second with 13.0 tackles for loss. Senat earned first-team all-conference honors, 2017 Sports Illustrated All-Bowl Team accolades, and was invited to the East-West Shrine Game while Hector was a second-team all-conference selection and was invited to the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl. Senat was selected in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft while Hector was signed as a free agent.

From 2013-16, Cronin served as the defensive ends position coach at Marshall where he worked with CSU defensive coordinator Chuck Heater. He led the Herd to 127 quarterback sacks in his four seasons on staff. Cronin helped Marshall post three seasons with 10 or more wins, three bowl victories, and an overall record of 36-17 during his four seasons. In 2013, the Herd went 10-4 and downed Maryland in the Military Bowl. In 2014, Marshall finished 13-1, won a league title, defeated Northern Illinois in the Boca Raton Bowl, and earned a postseason top-25 ranking in the Associated Press poll. In 2015, the Herd went 10-3 and registered a St. Petersburg Bowl victory. Cronin guided Gary Thompson to Conference USA All-Freshman Team honors in 2013. Thompson posted 19 sacks and 29 tackles for loss on his career, including nine sacks, 12.5 tackles for loss and 16 quarterback hurries during the 2015 season. Cronin also guided Ryan Bee to a spot on the Conference USA All-Freshman Team in 2015 with 59 tackles, 8.5 TFL, and four sacks. Bee posted 8.5 sacks and 15.0 tackles for loss in his first two seasons under Cronin. Arnold Blackmon earned C-USA second-team honors at defensive end in 2014 for the Herd.

Cronin served three stints at Marshall, including two on head coach Doc Holliday's staff. He previously worked as a defensive line coach in 2010 under Holliday and was a graduate assistant at Marshall in 2005. In 2010, Cronin's direction of Vinny Curry, a future second-round draft pick of the Philadelphia Eagles and one of Marshall's most successful defensive players in program history, led to a breakout season where he tallied a career-high 12 sacks on the year. Cronin also developed Alex Bazzie who progressed through an NFL and CFL career with the Indianapolis Colts, Carolina Panthers, and Arizona Cardinals, among other teams.

From 2011-12, Cronin served as defensive line coach at Temple during Steve Addazio’s two seasons, helping guide Morkeith Brown to third-team all-conference honors in 2011. The Owls’ defense dominated the league in 2011, leading in five categories while ranking No. 3 nationally in scoring defense.

Prior to his second stint at Marshall, Cronin spent the 2009 season as the defensive line coach at The Citadel and spent three years (2006-08) as a graduate assistant defensive coach at Florida, where he helped the Gators win two SEC Championships and two national championships and worked with eight NFL Draft picks.

Cronin began his collegiate playing career as a defensive end at the University of Cincinnati before transferring to Georgetown College, where he played defensive end his first season and defensive tackle during his final two seasons. He helped Georgetown win two NAIA Division II national titles (2000 and '01) and was an All-American and all-conference selection in 2002.

Cronin earned his bachelor's degree in history with a minor in coaching from Georgetown College (Ky.) in 2002. After graduation, he spent the spring semester interning with the defensive line and in strength and conditioning efforts. He went on to work at Clarion University (Pa.), where he spent two seasons as linebackers and strong safeties coach for the NCAA Division II program and completed his master's degree in rehabilitative science in 2004.

Cronin is married to the former Emily Heater. The couple has three daughters: Grace, Caitlin and Mary; and a son, Joseph.

THE CRONIN FILE

Birthdate: March 13, 1980
Hometown: Detroit, Mich.
Family: Wife Emily, three daughters: Grace, Caitlin and Mary, son Joseph

Education
Bachelor of Arts, History, Georgetown College (Ky.), 2002
Master of Science, Rehabilitative Science, Clarion University (Pa.), 2004

Coaching Career
Defensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks, Central Michigan University, 2025-current
Defensive Line Coach, Army West Point, 2002-04
Linebackers Coach, Colorado State University, 2020-21
Outside Linebackers Coach, University of South Florida, 2019
Defensive Tackles Coach, University of South Florida, 2017-18
Defensive Ends Coach, Marshall, University 2013-16
Defensive Line Coach, Temple University, 2011-12
Defensive Line Coach, Marshall University, 2010
Defensive Line Coach, The Citadel, 2009
Graduate Assistant, Defensive Coach, University of Florida, 2006-08
Graduate Assistant, Marshall University, 2005
Graduate Assistant, Linebackers/Strong Safeties/Strength & Conditioning, Clarion University (Pa.), 2002-04

Coaching Accomplishments
2024 Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl (Army) … 2018 Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl … 2017 Birmingham Bowl … 2015 St. Petersburg Bowl … 2014 Boca Raton Bowl … 2014 Conference USA Champions … 2014 Conference USA Championship Game … 2013 Military Bowl … 2013 Conference USA Championship Game … 2011 Gildan New Mexico Bowl … 2008 SEC Championship Game … 2008 National Championship Game … 2008 FBS National Champions … 2007 Capital One Bowl … 2006 SEC Championship Game … 2006 National Championship Game … 2006 FBS National Champions.

Playing Career
Named a Second Team All-American and All-Conference honoree in 2002 … Helped lead Georgetown to two national titles in 2000 and 2001 … Began his playing career as a defensive end at the University of Cincinnati.