Where Are They Now? Nolan Cromwell Is Where He Belongs

Nolan Cromwell accepted the assistant coaching job in charge of wide receivers with the St. Louis Rams in 2010.

Cromwell, 55, had served on Mike Sherman's staff at A&M for the last two seasons. He helped direct the growth of the A&M offense that ranked among the top 30 teams nationally in rushing, passing, scoring and total offense. Only Boise State was similarly ranked among those four statistical categories among FBS teams in 2009.

But Cromwell's real influence in the offense was lessened because Sherman had most of the play-calling responsibilities.

"I appreciate the passion, energy and work ethic Nolan Cromwell brought to us over these last two years," Sherman said. "You can also add patience, since it is not easy being an offensive coordinator under an offensive head coach."

Cromwell replaces Charlie Baggett, who left St. Louis after one season to be assistant head coach and wide receivers coach at Tennessee.

Cromwell also becomes the second A&M coordinator to resign since the end of the Aggies' 6-7 2009 season. Veteran defensive coordinator Joe Kines resigned after the Aggies' loss to Georgia in the Independence Bowl and has been replaced by former Air Force Academy defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter.

Cromwell has worked 17 seasons as an NFL assistant before joining Sherman's staff at A&M. He played with the Rams in Los Angeles and started his coaching career as a special teams assistant in 1991. He later was special teams coordinator for Green Bay from 1992-97, a wide receivers coach with the Packers in 1998 and spent nine seasons as the wide receivers coach with Seattle before coming to A&M.

"I am excited to be back with the Rams' family," Cromwell said. "I appreciate [St. Louis] Coach [Steve] Spagnuolo for giving me this opportunity and I look forward to working with the receivers on our roster and the coaching staff.This is truly a unique experience getting this opportunity with the organization I care for very deeply."

Cromwell was a second-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Rams in 1977 after his college career in Kansas, where he was a defensive back who switched to quarterback. He played his entire 11-year NFL career with the Rams, earning Pro Bowl honors four times and finishing as the team's career leader in interception return yardage with 671 yards on 37 interceptions.