Former Meridian football coach Kip Crofts hired at Payette | Idaho Statesman

Kip Crofts, who led Meridian to the 5A state championship in 2007, will take over the vacant head coaching position at Payette, a 3A program.

Crofts led Meridian to a 28-29 record over six seasons before spending the past three years as a junior varsity assistant at 4A powerhouse Bishop Kelly.

“I knew I wasn’t done. I wasn’t done being a head coach,” Crofts said. “As I’ve been at BK, Tim (Brennan) and his staff are wonderful, marvelous coaches that have taught me a bunch. That was really lucky to land there and learn and grow under his staff.”

Crofts takes over a Pirate program that went 0-8 last season under first-year coach Carl Keever. Payette, which has lost 10 straight, hasn’t posted a season over .500 since reaching the semifinals in 2009.

“There is a lot of pride in the city of Payette, and our main goal as a staff is to build the trust of the city and the school to know we’re going to be stable,” Crofts said. “We’re going to be there. We’re not going to leave them.”

Crofts will teach a yet-to-be-determined subject at Payette.