Damien Crumitie in his jersey. Courtesy photo
Announcement of Damien Crumitie’s signing with the GSU football team in 2018. Courtesy photo
Damien Crumitie, a sophomore defensive back for the Grambling State Univerity football team, is hoping to make a difference in 2019.
The Tallahassee, Fla. native transferred to Grambling last year, posting 19 tackles and three pass defenses for the year. Already in 2018 in a larger role on the team he has nine tackles and counting.
Crumitie has huge plans for the 2019 season.
“We winning the Natty and I’m getting defensive player of the year,” Crumitie said.
Coming out of high school Crumitie had offers from Mississippi State, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Florida International (FIU), Kent State and plenty of others.
Crumitie committed to FIU, but would end up not going.
“My ACT score was low I had to go JUCO,” Crumitie said.
Instead he went to play for Dodge City Community College after graduating from high school in 2016.
After the 2017 season, Crumitie received a call from Leon High’s assistant head coach at the time Doug Waddell, father of offensive linemen William Waddell of Grambling State first team All-American for the 2016 and 2017 seasons.
“He called and said I got an offer from Grambling,” Crumitie said.
Crumitie first enrolled at GSU in the spring of 2018.
“I like it, it’s cool,” Crumitie said.
Crumitie grew up in raised by his grandmother Cindy Hayes.
“She spoiled me growing up she got me pretty much everything I wanted,” Crumitie said.
Crumitie has four brothers, David Crumitie, Keyron, Cornilias and Danzell with Damien being the second to youngest.
His brothers played a huge role in his life and are the ones responsible for getting him started playing football.
When playing against his brothers he first realized he had blazing speed.
“My brothers couldn’t catch me when I had the ball,” Crumitie said.
He started playing organized Pop Warner at the age of six.
His first position was quarterback.
Crumitie started to take the game serious at 13 years old.
“I kept going because I was good and I know I can go far with this,” Crumitie said.
Crumitie first attended Jefferson County High School where he became a member of the varsity football team as an eighth grader.
As a quarterback and cornerback he would lead his team to win a Florida State Title. Crumitie finished the title game with two touchdown passes at quarterback and three interceptions at cornerback.
At diminutive Jefferson County, a school that competes in Division 1A, Crumitie still was not getting the looks he thought he deserved.
“The school wasn’t getting any good looks from colleges,” Crumitie said.
Crumitie moved to Thomasville, Ga with his mother Tonechia Crumitie.
“My mama said if I move down there I’ll get looked at more,” Crumitie said.
However, after Crumitie transferred to Brookwood High School he ended up not playing for the Warriors in the 2014 season.
Afterward Crumitie moved back to Tallahassee and attended Leon High School where he played quarterback and a defense and received several offers.
Other GSU players who also attended Leon include tight end Dorrell James, wide receiver Darquez Brutton and offensive linemen William Waddell.
Crumitie also competed on the track team at Leon, competing in the 4×1 relay, finishing first in the state track meet while also participating in the 200 and 100 meter dashes.