Roy Kramer

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Roy Kramer
A man and a woman are pictured sitting next to each other on a sofa. The man wears glasses and is in a suit, and appears to be reading from a book.
Kramer (left) with his wife Sara Jo, c. 1958
Biographical details
Born(1929-10-30)October 30, 1929
Maryville, Tennessee, U.S.
DiedDecember 4, 2025(2025-12-04) (aged 96)
Vonore, Tennessee, U.S.
Alma materMaryville College
University of Michigan
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1955Battle Creek Central HS (MI) (assistant)
1956Hudson HS (MI)
1957Dowagiac HS (MI)
1958–1959Benton Harbor HS (MI)
1960–1964East Lansing HS (MI)
1965–1977Central Michigan
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1978–1990Vanderbilt
1990–2002SEC (commissioner)
Head coaching record
Overall83–32–2 (college)
58–14–3 (high school)
Tournaments3–0 (NCAA D-II playoffs)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1 NCAA Division II (1974)
2 IIAC (1967–1968)
College Football Hall of Fame
Inducted in 2023 (profile)
Women's Basketball Hall of Fame

Roy Foster Kramer (October 30, 1929 – December 4, 2025) was an American college football coach and athletics administrator. Kramer was the head football coach for Central Michigan University from 1967 to 1977, compiling a record of 83–32–2 and winning the 1974 NCAA Division II Football Championship. He then served as the athletic director at Vanderbilt University from 1978 to 1990, and later as the commissioner of the Southeastern Conference from 1990 to 2002, where he created the Bowl Championship Series.[1]

Early life and education

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Roy Foster Kramer was born in Maryville, Tennessee, on October 30, 1929.[2][3] Kramer played football and wrestled at Maryville College until he was drafted into the Korean War. He served in the military for three years before graduating in 1953. He went on to attend the University of Michigan to earn his master's in both history and education.[4][5]

High school career

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Kramer began his coaching at various Michigan high schools at the start of his career. His first post was at Battle Creek Central High School in 1955, working as an assistant coach.[6] While coaching, Kramer taught history.[7] He then moved to Hudson High School in 1956 for his first head coach position, where the Tigers went undefeated[8] and won a state title in Class C.[9] Kramer brought another undefeated season and state championship to his next head coaching job at Dowagiac High School the following year.[10][8]

His only unsuccessful high school coaching season came in 1958 when he joined Benton Harbor High School, guiding the team to a 2–7 season. The following season, the team improved to a 7–2 record.[8] Kramer then left to teach at East Lansing High School for five years from 1960 to 1964, ending in a 33–6–1 record and being voted Class A state champions following an 8–0 record in 1964.[10] He was named "Class A Coach of the Year" in Michigan that season.[9]

College coaching career

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After coaching high school football for over a decade, Kramer took his first college coaching job with the Central Michigan Chippewas football in 1965, serving as an assistant coach.[11] He would later be signed as head coach after Bill Kelly's retirement.[4] He would go on to coach the team from 1967 until 1977, compiling a 83–32–2 win record.[7]

Kramer's first season with the team was referred to as a "new era" for the team.[12] Kramer hired Herb Deromedi as an assistant coach that season. Deromedi would eventually go from the assistant position to defensive coordinator before taking over head coaching duties when Kramer left the team in 1977.[13]

In 1974 Kramer led the team to a Division II National Championship and was named NCAA National Coach of the Year for his efforts.[3] The team then moved up to Division I the next season,[14] a decision Kramer spearheaded. They also joined the Mid-American Conference that season.[10]

Administrative career

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Vanderbilt athletic director

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Kramer left his head coaching position at CMU to become the athletic director at Vanderbilt University in 1978. He was motivated to make the change by his desire to be closer to his family in Tennessee.[15] He served in this role until 1990.[7] As director, Kramer's main initiative was renovating facilities on campus. During his tenure, Vanderbilt Stadium was reconstructed in 1981.[16] He also helped merge the men's and women's athletic departments at Vanderbilt and sold out the SEC Men's Basketball Tournament in 1984.[17]

During this time, Kramer was chairing meetings with other leaders in the NCAA,[18] where he was established as a leader in the conference.[17] This experience lead to him being tapped to be the next commissioner of the SEC.[19]

Southeastern Conference

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Kramer became the sixth commissioner of the Southeastern Conference on January 10, 1990, after a unanimous decision among the presidents of the ten schools in the conference.[20] The conference added the University of Arkansas and the University of South Carolina in 1991 just a few months after the start of Kramer's tenure.[21] Following expansion, Kramer guided the conference to the creation of the first Division I-A conference football championship game.[3] Kramer lead the conference to winning 81 national championships, the most ever in a decade by the league.[22]

In 1997, Kramer oversaw creation of the Bowl Championship Series.[9] This moved college football away from determining the national champion based on an antiquated system of polls.[11] While the system was designed to bring in more revenue, pitting the two best teams of college football against each other, the algorithm designed to decide the match-up was heavily criticized.[23] In a 2002 interview, Kramer jokingly stated that the BCS was "blamed for everything from El Niño to the terrorist attacks."[11][23]

Kramer retired from his position in 2002. He was succeeded as the SEC's commissioner by Michael Slive.[24] Because of his influence, the Men's and Women's SEC Athlete of the Year award is presented annually as the Roy F. Kramer Award.[3]

Personal life and death

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Kramer was married to Sara Jo. He had three children and six grandchildren.[2] His son Steve played football at the University of Miami.[4] Sara Jo died in 2013, with the couple being married for 62 years. Kramer died in Vonore, Tennessee, on December 4, 2025, at the age of 96.[3][11]

Awards and honors

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Head coaching record

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College

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Central Michigan Chippewas (Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1967–1969)
1967 Central Michigan 8–2 2–1 1st
1968 Central Michigan 7–2 2–1 1st
1969 Central Michigan 7–3 2–1 2nd
Central Michigan Chippewas (NCAA College Division / Division II independent) (1970–1974)
1970 Central Michigan 7–3
1971 Central Michigan 5–5
1972 Central Michigan 5–5–1
1973 Central Michigan 7–4
1974 Central Michigan 12–1 W NCAA Division II Championship
Central Michigan Chippewas (Mid-American Conference) (1975–1977)
1975 Central Michigan 8–2–1 4–1–1 2nd
1976 Central Michigan 7–4 4–3 T–5th
1977 Central Michigan 10–1 7–1 2nd
Central Michigan: 83–32–2 21–8–1
Total: 83–32–2
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References

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