Kramer Named 30th Head Football Coach
12/3/1999 12:00:00 AM | Football
named head football coach at Montana State University, announced MSU President Dr. MikeMalone. Kramer becomes the 30th head mentor in the history of the Bobcat program.
Kramer, who was on the Montana State University campus for a formal interview on Thursdayafternoon, accepted the position late Thursday evening.
"We were in constant communication with President Malone during the interview process,"
said MSU vice-president of student affairs, Dr. Allen Yarnell, who oversees Bobcat athletics.
"President Malone authorized the hiring, following the recommendations of the screening
committee, the athletics advisory board, the Bobcat booster board, Athletics Director Chuck
Lindemenn and myself."
Mike Kramer fills the head coaching position, which was vacated by Cliff Hysell, who stepped
down after a successful eight-season stint to attend to medical problems. Kramer has been at
Eastern Washington for the past 11 years, including the last six as the school’s head coach. He
previously was an assistant at MSU.
"As a head coach, Mike Kramer has all the qualitites that were consistent with the previous
program; discipline, commitment and integrity" said Chuck Lindemenn. "What we add is
genuine interest in helping the program grow through external support. He knows the state of
Montana and he has maintained his contacts here over the years. He’ll hit the ground running
and we’re extremely excited about the future of the Bobcat football program."
Kramer complied a 37-32 record in six seasons at Eastern Washington, and is 30-17 in the
past four seasons. His Eagles were 7-4 and tied for second-place in the Big Sky Conference
this fall, with two losses coming to NCAA Division I-A schools Idaho and Boise State. EWU
finished 12-2 in 1997, won the Big Sky title with a 7-1 ledger, and advanced to the semifinals
of the NCAA Division I-AA Championship playoffs.
"I, along with my family are just enthralled with where Montana State University is going as an
institution," Kramer said. "We’re very excited with the opportunity Chuck Lindemenn has
presented, as well as, with the growth of the athletic department. I certainly would like to thank
Cliff Hysell and staff for laying the foundation of this fabulous program."
Kramer’s college coaching career began as an assistant to MSU head coach Dave Arnold in
1983, and was the linebackers coach on the 1984 National Championship squad. He was
elevated to defensive coordinator the next season, and after two years in that role returned to
the high school ranks in his native Washington for two seasons. The 1977 Idaho graduate
joined Dick Zornes’ staff at Eastern Washington in 1989, and after five seasons succeeded the
legendary Eagle coach.
Kramer interviewed for the Montana State University vacancy before approximately 250
people on Thursday. During the interview process, he met with the MSU athletics advisory
board, which is mostly made-up of faculty members; the Bobcat athletics department, including
the coaching staffs and support personnel; a large contingent of Bobcat boosters, eighty
members of the football team; and the M-Club, comprised of former MSU letterwinners.
"We received responses from over 250 people in regards to Coach Kramer’s interview,"
Lindemenn said. "Over 95 percent highly recommended him for the job. He interviewed
before a very diverse group of people and he impressed all groups, equally.
"We were under a short time frame for hiring this position, and I was very impressed with the
pool of applicants and the way the screening committee devoted their energies to identifying
finalists for the position. We had some high-profile people in the final pool and I feel that we
got the right person for our position."
Kramer, 45, will begin his duties at Montana State on Saturday afternoon. He and his wife,
Sandi, have two daughters, Courtney, 16 and Gretchen, 9.
In other athletics department news, MSU AD Chuck Lindemenn has officially withdrawn as a
finalist for a similar position at the University of California-San Diego.
"I’ve told UC San Diego that I’m withdrawing from consideration as a finalist for their athletics
director position," Lindemenn said. "I made a commitment to Mike Kramer and Montana
State University to form a partnership that will see the Bobcat football program reach new
heights."
Mike Kramer
Head Coach, Eastern Washington
Year-by-Year, Head Coach
Year School Overall Big Sky
1999 Eastern Washington 7-4 5-2
1998 Eastern Washington 5-6 4-4
1997 Eastern Washington 12-2 7-1
1996 Eastern Washington 6-5 4-4
1995 Eastern Washington 3-8 1-6
1994 Eastern Washington 4-7 2-5
Total Six Seasons 37-32 23-22
Year-by-Year, Assistant Coach
Year School Overall Big Sky Pos.
1993 Eastern Washington 7-3 5-2 OL
1992 Eastern Washington 7-3 6-1 OL
1991 Eastern Washington 5-6 4-4 OL
1990 Eastern Washington 5-6 3-5 OL
1989 Eastern Washington 4-6 4-4 OL
1986 Montana State 3-8 2-5 DC/DL
1985 Montana State 2-9 1-6 DC/DL
1984 Montana State 12-2 6-1 LB/REC.
1984 Montana State 1-10 1-6 LB/REC.
Honors and Notes:
* Kramer was the 1997 Big Sky Conference Coach of the year after leading his team to the
Big Sky title and 1-AA semifinals.
* Was part of the Montana State coaching staff in 1984, when Dave Arnold was named 1-AA
Coach of the year.
* Has coached in three 1-AA playoffs, two as an assistant and one as head coach.
Kramer, who was on the Montana State University campus for a formal interview on Thursdayafternoon, accepted the position late Thursday evening.
"We were in constant communication with President Malone during the interview process,"
said MSU vice-president of student affairs, Dr. Allen Yarnell, who oversees Bobcat athletics.
"President Malone authorized the hiring, following the recommendations of the screening
committee, the athletics advisory board, the Bobcat booster board, Athletics Director Chuck
Lindemenn and myself."
Mike Kramer fills the head coaching position, which was vacated by Cliff Hysell, who stepped
down after a successful eight-season stint to attend to medical problems. Kramer has been at
Eastern Washington for the past 11 years, including the last six as the school’s head coach. He
previously was an assistant at MSU.
"As a head coach, Mike Kramer has all the qualitites that were consistent with the previous
program; discipline, commitment and integrity" said Chuck Lindemenn. "What we add is
genuine interest in helping the program grow through external support. He knows the state of
Montana and he has maintained his contacts here over the years. He’ll hit the ground running
and we’re extremely excited about the future of the Bobcat football program."
Kramer complied a 37-32 record in six seasons at Eastern Washington, and is 30-17 in the
past four seasons. His Eagles were 7-4 and tied for second-place in the Big Sky Conference
this fall, with two losses coming to NCAA Division I-A schools Idaho and Boise State. EWU
finished 12-2 in 1997, won the Big Sky title with a 7-1 ledger, and advanced to the semifinals
of the NCAA Division I-AA Championship playoffs.
"I, along with my family are just enthralled with where Montana State University is going as an
institution," Kramer said. "We’re very excited with the opportunity Chuck Lindemenn has
presented, as well as, with the growth of the athletic department. I certainly would like to thank
Cliff Hysell and staff for laying the foundation of this fabulous program."
Kramer’s college coaching career began as an assistant to MSU head coach Dave Arnold in
1983, and was the linebackers coach on the 1984 National Championship squad. He was
elevated to defensive coordinator the next season, and after two years in that role returned to
the high school ranks in his native Washington for two seasons. The 1977 Idaho graduate
joined Dick Zornes’ staff at Eastern Washington in 1989, and after five seasons succeeded the
legendary Eagle coach.
Kramer interviewed for the Montana State University vacancy before approximately 250
people on Thursday. During the interview process, he met with the MSU athletics advisory
board, which is mostly made-up of faculty members; the Bobcat athletics department, including
the coaching staffs and support personnel; a large contingent of Bobcat boosters, eighty
members of the football team; and the M-Club, comprised of former MSU letterwinners.
"We received responses from over 250 people in regards to Coach Kramer’s interview,"
Lindemenn said. "Over 95 percent highly recommended him for the job. He interviewed
before a very diverse group of people and he impressed all groups, equally.
"We were under a short time frame for hiring this position, and I was very impressed with the
pool of applicants and the way the screening committee devoted their energies to identifying
finalists for the position. We had some high-profile people in the final pool and I feel that we
got the right person for our position."
Kramer, 45, will begin his duties at Montana State on Saturday afternoon. He and his wife,
Sandi, have two daughters, Courtney, 16 and Gretchen, 9.
In other athletics department news, MSU AD Chuck Lindemenn has officially withdrawn as a
finalist for a similar position at the University of California-San Diego.
"I’ve told UC San Diego that I’m withdrawing from consideration as a finalist for their athletics
director position," Lindemenn said. "I made a commitment to Mike Kramer and Montana
State University to form a partnership that will see the Bobcat football program reach new
heights."
Mike Kramer
Head Coach, Eastern Washington
Year-by-Year, Head Coach
Year School Overall Big Sky
1999 Eastern Washington 7-4 5-2
1998 Eastern Washington 5-6 4-4
1997 Eastern Washington 12-2 7-1
1996 Eastern Washington 6-5 4-4
1995 Eastern Washington 3-8 1-6
1994 Eastern Washington 4-7 2-5
Total Six Seasons 37-32 23-22
Year-by-Year, Assistant Coach
Year School Overall Big Sky Pos.
1993 Eastern Washington 7-3 5-2 OL
1992 Eastern Washington 7-3 6-1 OL
1991 Eastern Washington 5-6 4-4 OL
1990 Eastern Washington 5-6 3-5 OL
1989 Eastern Washington 4-6 4-4 OL
1986 Montana State 3-8 2-5 DC/DL
1985 Montana State 2-9 1-6 DC/DL
1984 Montana State 12-2 6-1 LB/REC.
1984 Montana State 1-10 1-6 LB/REC.
Honors and Notes:
* Kramer was the 1997 Big Sky Conference Coach of the year after leading his team to the
Big Sky title and 1-AA semifinals.
* Was part of the Montana State coaching staff in 1984, when Dave Arnold was named 1-AA
Coach of the year.
* Has coached in three 1-AA playoffs, two as an assistant and one as head coach.
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