Almost 33, Former Marine Brandon Crawford Ready for Final Charge

Brandon Crawford doesn't have any special plans for his 33rd birthday. It falls on a Sunday, an off day. He'll attend church, have a nice dinner, and probably listen to some music before he calls it an early night. Work cranks again on Monday.

And Crawford needs to be rested and refreshed for Ball State football practice.

Crawford, who likes to say he has taken a different path to get where he's going, is a senior defensive end for the Cardinals. The old-young fella can play, too. Crawford started all 14 games to earn this third letter last season, and the former Marine would love nothing more than to end his collegiate career with -- pardon the pun -- a bang.

"I think my age has been more of a factor to everyone else than me," Crawford told FanHouse.

"I've probably done a little more, heard a little more and seen a little more than my teammates, but I kind of blend in. I don't really stand out. When they ask me how old I am and I tell them, it's like, 'No. No way, you don't look like it.' How are you supposed to look? Am I supposed to have gray hair? I look young, I take care of my body, I can get out there and play with them. I am just taking it day-by-day and enjoying every minute."

With good reason.

Crawford, who turns 33 in less than two weeks (Aug. 16), is nearly twice as old as the team's incoming freshmen. He is older than three of the team's assistant coaches and graduated from high school the same year (1996) as the Cardinals' offensive coordinator. Looking for a different perspective? All-Pro quarterback Tom Brady of the New England Patriots turns 32 Monday.

Crawford's age, however, hasn't been an issue since he enrolled at Ball State in 2006. Good-natured nicknames of Old Man, Pops and Crawdaddy aside, Crawford brings life experience, perseverance, smarts and talent to the field.

And those qualities will be needed more than ever this season as the Cardinals, under first-year head coach Stan Parrish, will be hard-pressed to repeat their MAC West championship with Western Michigan and Central Michigan expected to have strong teams.

Additionally, new defensive coordinator Doug Graber installed a 4-3 defense during spring drills after the team ran a 3-4 the past four seasons. Graber wasn't happy with the level of fundamental play shown by his players, so the unit will need to make immediate progress when preseason practice opens.

"We've changed a few things around with personnel and we are still tweaking it right now, but everything should be finalized by the end of camp and we'll be fine," said Crawford, a second-team All-Mid American Conference selection last season. "We are just pushing forward, going through the process where we need to get back on the field and get to work."

Crawford's certainly not afraid to work.

Crawford earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice in 2008 and is currently working on a master's degree. Since Crawford, 6-foot-3, 260 pounds, realizes that professional football is probably not an option, he's looking at possibly joining the Secret Service or another branch of government next year.

"Coming from that kind of structure, I would like to get back into that environment," said Crawford, who was recently named a nominee for the Allstate/AFAC Good Works Team, which recognizes student-athletes for their contributions off the field. "The way I was raised, I just want to be able to help the less fortunate. I believe you need to give back if you can and try to help out when you can."

Crawford, who is single, traveled a winding road to Ball State, located in Muncie, Ind., from his hometown of Fort Wayne, Ind.

Recruited out of high school by some mid-major programs in 1996, Crawford had his college career initially delayed by personal problems. He wound up spending a few years working in an automotive factory before joining the Marines in 1999.

Crawford was dispatched to boot camp in California, including combat training, but he remained stateside with administrative duties in Cherry Point, N.C. He received an honorary discharge from the Marine Corps in 2003. Crawford actually enrolled at Ball State in the summer of 2004, but returned home after one semester to help his family.

Crawford, however, couldn't shake his love for football, so he re-enrolled at Ball State and walked on the football team in the summer of 2006. He hasn't wasted his opportunities, playing in 37 career games, 27 as a starter.

Crawford's also had a knack for military-like heroics. Last season he recovered a fumble at Miami University on Veteran's Day. In 2008, he blocked a potential game-winning field goal at Navy in the final game of regulation, propelling Ball State to a 34-31 overtime victory over the Midshipmen. He was also born in 1976 -- our nation's Bicentennial.

Needless to say, the Cardinals have relied on Crawford's leadership and maturity, on and off the field. Ball State will have plenty of youth in the lineup this season, too. Redshirt freshman Kelly Page has stepped in at quarterback for Nate Davis, the 2008 starter and MAC Offensive Player of the Year.

"I am there for my teammates, kind of like a big brother," Crawford said. "I don't try to push anything on them. I am there if they need to talk about something, and they are there for me, too."

It also goes without saying that the Marines played a role in molding Crawford's personality, discipline and work ethic. Crawford says the military is more mental, football is more physical.

"In the military I knew what was expected, I knew I would be pushed hard and lives were at stake," Crawford said.

"But the loyalty, the camaraderie, and the accountability that we had in our military family carries over to football even though it's from different spectrums. In the Marines, you're dealing with people's lives. Football is just a game, but your teammates are depending on you as well. You have to be mentally tough out there, pushing yourself and pushing each other."

And, when the time comes, let's not forget about singing "Happy Birthday" to Crawford, either