Craig Candeto

Craig Candeto (born March 6, 1982) is an American football coach and former player. He was the running backs coach at Austin Peay State University. Candeto served as the head football coach at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, from 2013 to 2015.

Candeto was a college quarterback at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, under head coach Paul Johnson. He eventually worked under Johnson at Georgia Tech as quarterbacks coach.

Early life Candeto attended DeLand High School, where he was an all-state football and baseball player. As the football team's quarterback, he thrived in the option offense as he was named Class 5A Player of the Year during his senior season.

College career

After high school, Candeto was recruited by Paul Johnson at Georgia Southern, but chose to attend the United States Naval Academy. Although military service was initially not attractive for Candeto, the concept eventually appealed to him, while his uncle was also a United States Marine Corps veteran who served in the Gulf War.

At the United States Naval Academy, Candeto played football and baseball, serving as a left fielder in the latter; the Midshipmen won the 2001 Patriot League baseball championship. In football, he started the 2001 opener against Temple, where he threw two touchdown passes as Navy lost 45–26.

Johnson was hired in 2002 and installed the flexbone triple option, a system that Candeto quickly adapted to.

After graduating from the Naval Academy in 2004, Candeto became a lieutenant in the United States Navy. During his five-year service, he was a fighter pilot, with his last assignment being with Strike Fighter Squadron 106 at Naval Air Station Oceana.

In 2019, Candeto returned to Austin Peay as running backs coach, working under ex-Navy coach Mark Hudspeth.

Head coaching record