Craig Yeast facts for kids

Craig Nelson Yeast (born November 20, 1976) is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at Mercer County Senior High School in Harrodsburg, Kentucky. Before this, he was the head coach at Kentucky Wesleyan College.

Yeast played professionally as a wide receiver and kick returner. He played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Cincinnati Bengals and the New York Jets. He also played in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Saskatchewan Roughriders. He played college football for the Kentucky Wildcats.

Craig Yeast: Football Star and Coach

Craig Yeast has had an exciting career in football. He started as a talented player and later became a successful coach. His journey shows how hard work can lead to great achievements in sports.

Growing Up and High School Football

Craig Yeast grew up in Harrodsburg, Kentucky. In high school, he played football for Harrodsburg High School. He was a versatile player, taking on the roles of both quarterback and running back. Harrodsburg High School later joined with Mercer County Senior High School in 2006.

College Football Days

Yeast played college football at the University of Kentucky from 1995 to 1998. He was an amazing receiver during his time there. When he finished college, he held a special record. He had the most career catches in the history of the Southeastern Conference, with 208 catches. He was also second in career receiving yards, with 2,899 yards.

In 1998, his senior year, he was especially good at returning kicks. He scored three touchdowns from kickoffs and one from a punt return. He was recognized as a third-team All-American. This means he was one of the best college players in the country. He was also a top player in the Southeastern Conference. Yeast was a member of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity during his college years.

Playing Pro Football

After college, Craig Yeast went on to play professional football. He played in both the NFL and the CFL.

NFL Journey

Yeast was chosen in the fourth round of the 1999 NFL draft. He was the 98th player picked overall. He played for the Cincinnati Bengals and the New York Jets. His best season in the NFL was in 2000 with the Bengals. That year, he caught 24 passes for 301 yards. He also had one rushing attempt for 15 yards.

CFL Adventure

After his time in the NFL, Yeast moved to the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played four seasons with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. During these years, he caught 158 passes for 2,706 yards and scored 13 touchdowns. In 2004, he had a fantastic season with 59 catches for 1,184 yards and 8 touchdowns. The next year, 2005, he had 65 catches for 1,010 yards and three touchdowns. He later had a short time playing for the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2006.

Becoming a Coach

After his playing career, Craig Yeast became a football coach. He has coached at both high school and college levels.

Coaching High School Teams

In 2009, Yeast was the offensive coordinator for the Marion County High School football team. He helped them reach the state semifinals for the first time. Later, he became the head coach at Bryan Station High School in Lexington, Kentucky for one season. In 2014, he took on the role of head football coach at Fremont Ross High School in Fremont, Ohio.

Coaching College Teams

In December 2018, Yeast was hired as the head coach at Kentucky Wesleyan College in Owensboro, Kentucky. He coached there until February 2022. He then resigned to become the head coach at Mercer County High School, which is in his hometown.