With the Vigo County School Board’s approval of West Vigo High School’s hiring of Brian Crabtree as the new Vikings football coach, Athletic Director Culley DeGroote sees him making a “positive impact” on the program and school.
The Board approved Crabtree’s hiring at its Thursday night meeting, effective with the 2026-27 school year.
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Crabtree replaces former coach Aaron Clements, who resigned last year. West Vigo finished 0-10 in the 2025 season, after going 4-6 the year before.
Crabtree coached last season at North Vermillion, which also ended up 0-10.
“We’re excited to have someone with the resume and pedigree of a Brian Crabtree to lead our football program,” DeGroote said Friday. “Coach Crabtree is the type of person that will have a positive impact on our entire campus, not just our football program. We look forward to seeing the lives that he will impact on and off the field, as well as the product that we see on the field on Friday nights.
“We feel, with the leadership of coach Crabtree, that West Vigo will become a place that kids from all over will watch our football team play and want to be a part of it,” DeGroote added. “How many high schools in Indiana can say that their head coach has won a state title as a head coach? West Vigo can now say that. We know there’s a lot of work to be done, but we’re really excited about the future.”
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Crabtree coached North Vermillion to a 15-0 record and the 2014 Class A state championship. In 2018, his Falcons were Class A runners-up. His career coaching record stands at 108-48 overall record at North Vermillion, and 147-83 overall with stops at North Central and North Putnam, winning seven conference championships, three regional titles and two semistate crowns.
DeGroote also said West Vigo’s coaching staff has added John McClain as defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach; Ethan Burgess, a former West Vigo and St. Francis standout, as line coach; and first-year strength and conditioning coach Brady Nyland, formerly of Speedway.
