Crawford ran for his Alma Mata, Eastern Michigan University under mentor and coach Bob Parks amid his school years.
In the wake of completing as the runner up at the 1975 Pan American Games in the 100 meters, Crawford was added to the group of American mentor Bob Parks. His new mentor set him up for the 100 meters and 200 meters occasions at the 1976 Summer Olympics with a methodology of just permitting him to keep running in a couple races amid the season. This strategy paid off, as Crawford, in the outside path 1, barely won the 100 meters last in a period of 10.06