LSU offensive coordinator Gary Crowton accepts job with Maryland

Baton Rouge - LSU offensive coordinator Gary Crowton said Thursday he has accepted the same position with the the University of Maryland.

Crowton said he told Coach Les Miles at a staff meeting Thursday morning he was taking the job under newly-hired head coach Randy Edsall, with whom Crowton worked under Tom Coughlin at Boston College for three seasons.

Crowton was LSU's offensive coordinator since 2007, helping the Tigers set school record for yardage, points and plays run in the BCS national championship season.

"It's a new challenge in my coaching career and I'm excited about that, knowing that I left LSU, which is a great place, with great memories of the player, coaches and everything," Crowton said in a telephone interview.

Miles praised Crowton, who took over for Jimbo Fisher after the 2006 season and helped LSU to a 40-13 record in his four seasons.

"I appreciate all Gary did for us in his four years at LSU," Miles said. "Gary helped us win a lot of games over the last four years, including a national championship. He's an outstanding coach and a man of great character. We wish him and his family well in any of their future endeavors."

Crowton insisted he was not fired or even asked to look for another job, despite media reports to the contrary. He came under fire from LSU fans for an offense that struggled throughout the season, particularly in the passing game

"No, I never was (asked to leave)," he said. "I never ever felt pressure to be let go. I always felt encouraged, Coach Miles told me after the (Cotton Bowl) game he was excited about coming back with two senior quarterbacks and Zach Mettenberger. Never ever once was that ever discussed. I never felt any pressure whatsoever."

"My wife and I talked it over and I decided to take it. Coach Miles gave me his blessings and gave me a hug thanked me and I thanked him and that was it."

Leaving LSU was "bittersweet", Crowton said, but that moving on to Maryland has its advantages for him.

"It's a very emotional time for me, very hard," Crowton said. "I just felt he (Edsall) was a good friend. Randy is a defensive coach by trade and wanted me to come in and install the whole offense, my terminology and everything, and do it the way I've done it in the past in some other places. I thought it would be a great challenge."