Croom Mississippi State football coach

STARKVILLE, Miss., Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Sylvester Croom became the first black head football coach in Southeastern Conference history Monday when he was hired by Mississippi State.

Croom is a veteran of 28 years of coaching on both the professional and collegiate level, including the last three as running backs coach of the Green Bay Packers.

"We went after the best football coach and we're confident wwe found that individual in Sylvester Croom," Bulldogs AD Larry Templeton said.

The 49-year-old Croom replaces Jackie Sherrill, who retired after the season.

It is the first head coaching job for Croom, a 1975 graduate of Alabama who was a three-year letterman under Coach Bear Bryant. He was the starting center on Alabama's 1973 national championship team.

Croom was in contention for the job at Alabama following the firing of Mike Price in April.

The Tuscaloosa, Ala., native becomes just the fifth current black head coach in Division I-A.