A former star quarterback at Santa Barbara High and SBCC, Coach Craig Moropoulos enters his 17th season as the Vaqueros' head coach in 2023 and his 39th year of coaching overall.

Moropoulos is coming off perhaps the greatest season in program history in 2022. The Vaqueros set a myriad of all-time records, including most wins (10), most points in a season (499) and in a game (86), and rushing touchdowns (42). Leading the Vaqueros' vicious ground game with electric highlight plays every week, runningback Brandon Smith set all-time records for single-game rushing yards (260), single-season rushing touchdowns (16) and 200-yard rushing games (2). SBCC won its 300th game early in the season before ending the year on an all-time best 10-game win streak, clinching its first conference championship since 1991 and second bowl game win ever at home, 44-23 over Desert in the 2022 Beach Bowl.

Moropoulos earned All-Region and American Pacific League Coach of the Year accolades. Seven Vaqueros were named to the All-Region First Team and 19 garnered All-Conference recognition, including APL Offensive Player of the Year quarterback Alex Johnson. 

In his 13th year at the helm in 2019, Moropolous and the Vaqueros opened things with a 57-6 blowout win over Compton, tied for the second-highest point total in school history and just six shy of the all-time program record. SBCC's offense shined once more in a 35-16 mid-October rout of L.A. Pierce, thanks to 228 passing yards and four touchdowns by quarterback Bradley Kleven. The Vaquero defense would also shine in a gritty 14-10 November road victory, holding Santa Monica to just 43 second-half yards.

2018 was a challenging season as the Vaqueros lost their top three quarterbacks and top running back with injuries. Their wins were big shutouts -- 45-0 over Compton in the season opener and 41-0 over Santa Monica in Week 9.

The Vaqueros' 2017 campaign was highlighted by a three-game September winning streak and a 14-0 season-finale road shutout over L.A. Valley to finish 4-6. Manny Nwosu became the first 1,000-yard rusher in four decades, gaining 1,080 yards on 192 carries. He was one of three Vaqueros to earn All-State honors.

From 2013-16, Moropoulos led the Vaqueros to seven-win seasons in 3 of 4 years. They went to bowl games in 2014 and 2016, hosting their first bowl game (the Beach Bowl) in 33 years in 2016. Moropoulos coached one All-American and 10 All-State players over the span of three years. He also helped send 58 players to four-year schools over a five-year span.

He guided the 2013 team to one of the best starts in school history (6-0) and their 7-3 record was the best in 22 years. The 2014 Vaqueros went 7-4 and played in a bowl game (the Garden State Bowl at Cerritos) for the first time in 17 years.

SBCC went 14-7 in 2013-14 and put together back-to-back 7-win seasons for the first time since 1982-83.

He spent 14 years as an assistant at NCAA schools, including Arizona, Texas A&M, San Jose State and Boise State. In 1999, he returned to SBHS as head coach and led the Dons to a Channel League title.

Craig joined the SBCC staff in 2006 as an assistant coach. Starting as the offensive coordinator for the Vaqueros, they went No. 2 in Total Offense in the APC in 2010, averaging 402 yards per game.

He got most of his football knowledge from his dad, Mike, who spent 35 years as a teacher and coach at SBHS. When he’s not coaching, Craig likes to play golf and he’s close to a scratch player.

Moropoulos earned his BA in Physical Education from Cal Lutheran, where he finished his college playing career as a quarterback. He earned his Master’s in education from the University of Arizona. He has three children, Trevor, Peyton and Elyse.