{{Short description|American football player and coach (born 1955)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox college coach | name = Mike Kramer | image = | alt = | caption = | current_title = | current_team = | current_conference = | current_record = | contract = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1954|7|25}} | birth_place = Colton, Washington, U.S. | death_date = <!--{{Death date and age|20YY|MM|DD|1955|7|25}}--> | death_place = | alma_mater = Idaho, B.S. 1977<br>Eastern Washington,<br>M.Ed. 1991 | player_years1 = 1972–1975 | player_team1 = Idaho | player_positions = Defensive end,<br>center, guard | coach_years1 = 1976 | coach_team1 = Colton (WA) HS (asst.) | coach_years2 = 1977–1979 | coach_team2 = {{nowrap|Helena (MT) HS (asst.)}} | coach_years3 = 1980–1982 | coach_team3 = Helena (MT) HS | coach_years4 = 1983–1984 | coach_team4 = Montana State (DL) | coach_years5 = 1985–1986 | coach_team5 = Montana State (DC) | coach_years6 = 1987–1988 | coach_team6 = Tacoma (WA) Stadium HS | coach_years7 = 1989–1993 | coach_team7 = Eastern Washington (DL) | coach_years8 = 1994–1999 | coach_team8 = Eastern Washington | coach_years9 = 2000–2006 | coach_team9 = Montana State | coach_years10 = 2010 | coach_team10 = Washington State (asst.) | coach_years11 = 2011–2016 | coach_team11 = Idaho State | overall_record = 95–125 (college) | bowl_record = | tournament_record = 3–4<br>(NCAA I-AA/FCS playoffs) | championships = 4 Big Sky (1997, 2002, 2003, 2005) | awards = 4x Big Sky Coach of the Year<br>(1997, 2002, 2005, 2014) | coaching_records = }} '''Michael David Kramer''' (born July 25, 1954) is an American former football coach and former player, most recently the head football coach at Idaho State University of the Big Sky Conference. Kramer was previously the head coach at two other schools in the conference: Eastern Washington University (1994–1999) and Montana State University (2000–2006).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/nov/23/kramer-selected-to-coach-bengals/ |title=Kramer selected to coach Bengals |work=Spokesman Review |location=Spokane, Washington |date=November 23, 2010}}</ref> Kramer has coached teams to four Big Sky championships, one at Eastern Washington (1997), and three at Montana State (2002, 2003, and 2005). Kramer retired from his position at Idaho State on March 30, 2017.<ref>{{cite web|title=Idaho State coach Mike Kramer retires; Rob Phenicie takes over|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/19041035/mike-kramer-retires-idaho-state-head-football-coach|website=ESPN.com|date=30 March 2017 }}</ref>
==Playing career== A native of Colton, Washington, on the Palouse south of Pullman, Kramer graduated from Colton High School in 1972 and played college football at the University of Idaho in nearby Moscow. He was a lineman for the Vandals for four seasons under head coaches Don Robbins and Ed Troxel.<ref name=nov75>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9u9LAAAAIBAJ&sjid=bO0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=4443,2304180&dq=mike+kramer&hl=en |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |location=Spokane, Washington |title=Vandals can end on happy note |date=November 20, 1975 |page=46}}</ref> He started nine games at defensive end as a true freshman in 1972, and seven on offense at center as a sophomore. During his final two seasons he started at guard for offensive coordinator Dennis Erickson.
Kramer was named most inspirational player (Hec Edmundson award) and the team's outstanding blocker as a senior in 1975.<ref name=hecmike>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Xi9OAAAAIBAJ&sjid=bu0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=3338,1006335|newspaper=Spokesman-Review|location=Spokane, Washington|title=UI award to Kramer |date=December 12, 1975 |page=18}}</ref><ref name=kcrecvaw>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FnZfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ci8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=2854,665127&dq=mike+kramer&hl=en |newspaper=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=Idaho|title=Keilty, Comstock receive top Idaho football awards |date=December 3, 1975 |page=4B}}</ref> He was a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity,<ref name=kogsf>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=g8deAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MDIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4205%2C3866610 |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=Idaho |last=Sahlberg |first=Bert |title=Kinship only goes so far |date=October 14, 1995 |page=1B}}</ref> received his bachelor's degree from UI in 1977, and later earned a master's degree from EWU.
==Coaching career== Kramer began coaching in 1976 at his alma mater, Colton High, as an assistant for the 1976 season, then moved to Montana to coach at Helena High School, as an assistant for three years and as head coach for another three. He moved up to the college level at Montana State in 1983, coaching the defensive line under head coach Dave Arnold and the Bobcats won the Big Sky title and the I-AA national championship in 1984. He was the defensive coordinator for the next two seasons, which were much less successful, and Arnold and the staff was fired. Kramer coached in western Washington at Stadium High School in Tacoma for two seasons, then joined the staff at Eastern Washington in 1989 and coached the defensive line for five years. When head coach Dick Zornes retired, Kramer was promoted and led the Eagles for six seasons, through 1999.<ref name=upalvl>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=SookAAAAIBAJ&sjid=1NAFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6431%2C754041 |newspaper=Moscow-Pullman Daily News |location=Idaho-Washington|last=Sullivan |first=Tim |title=Kramer tries to take EWU up a level |date=October 7, 1994 |page=1C }}</ref>
==Head coaching record== ===College=== {{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = TSN }} {{CFB Yearly Record Subhead | name = Eastern Washington Eagles | conf = Big Sky Conference | startyear = 1994 | endyear = 1999 }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1994 | name = Eastern Washington | overall = 4–7 | conference = 2–5 | confstanding = T–6th | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1995 | name = Eastern Washington | overall = 3–8 | conference = 1–6 | confstanding = 8th | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1996 | name = Eastern Washington | overall = 6–5 | conference = 4–4 | confstanding = T–5th | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference | year = 1997 | name = Eastern Washington | overall = 12–2 | conference = 7–1 | confstanding = 1st | bowlname = NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal | bowloutcome = L | bcsbowl = | ranking = 6 | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1998 | name = Eastern Washington | overall = 5–6 | conference = 4–4 | confstanding = T–4th | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1999 | name = Eastern Washington | overall = 7–4 | conference = 6–2 | confstanding = T–2nd | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal | name = Eastern Washington | overall = 37–32 | confrecord = 24–22 }} {{CFB Yearly Record Subhead | name = Montana State Bobcats | conf = Big Sky Conference | startyear = 2000 | endyear = 2006 }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 2000 | name = Montana State | overall = 0–11 | conference = 0–8 | confstanding = 9th | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 2001 | name = Montana State | overall = 5–6 | conference = 4–3 | confstanding = 4th | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference | year = 2002 | name = Montana State | overall = 7–6 | conference = 5–2 | confstanding = T–1st | bowlname = NCAA Division I-AA First Round | bowloutcome = L | bcsbowl = | ranking = 19 | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference | year = 2003 | name = Montana State | overall = 7–6 | conference = 5–2 | confstanding = T–1st | bowlname = NCAA Division I-AA First Round | bowloutcome = L | bcsbowl = | ranking = 21 | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 2004 | name = Montana State | overall = 6–5 | conference = 4–3 | confstanding = T–3rd | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference | year = 2005 | name = Montana State | overall = 7–4 | conference = 5–2 | confstanding = T–1st | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = 18 | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 2006 | name = Montana State | overall = 8–5 | conference = 6–2 | confstanding = T–2nd | bowlname = NCAA Division I Quarterfinal | bowloutcome = L | bcsbowl = | ranking = 18 | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal | name = Montana State | overall = 40–43 | confrecord = 29–22 }} {{CFB Yearly Record Subhead | name = Idaho State Bengals | conf = Big Sky Conference | startyear = 2011 | endyear = 2016 }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 2011 | name = Idaho State | overall = 2–9 | conference = 1–7 | confstanding = 8th | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 2012 | name = Idaho State | overall = 1–10 | conference = 0–8 | confstanding = 13th | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 2013 | name = Idaho State | overall = 3–9 | conference = 1–7 | confstanding = T–11th | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 2014 | name = Idaho State | overall = 8–4 | conference = 6–2 | confstanding = T–2nd | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 2015 | name = Idaho State | overall = 2–9 | conference = 1–7 | confstanding = T–12th | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 2016 | name = Idaho State | overall = 2–9 | conference = 1–7 | confstanding = 13th | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal | name = Idaho State | overall = 18–50 | confrecord = 10–38 }} {{CFB Yearly Record End | overall = 95–125 | bowls = no | poll = no | polltype = }}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://isubengals.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/mike-kramer/382 Idaho State profile]
{{Navboxes |list = {{Eastern Washington Eagles football coach navbox}} {{Montana State Bobcats football coach navbox}} {{Idaho State Bengals football coach navbox}} {{1984 Montana State Bobcats football navbox}} }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kramer, Mike}} Category:1955 births Category:Living people Category:American football defensive linemen Category:American football offensive linemen Category:Eastern Washington Eagles football coaches Category:Idaho State Bengals football coaches Category:Idaho Vandals football players Category:Montana State Bobcats football coaches Category:High school football coaches in Montana Category:High school football coaches in Washington (state) Category:People from Colton, Washington Category:Sportspeople from Whitman County, Washington Category:Coaches of American football from Washington (state) Category:Players of American football from Washington (state)