Craig Naivar joined the Rice Owls football coaching staff on January 19, following head coach David Bailiff to Houston from Texas State.

Naivar was the Defensive Coordinator at Texas State the past three seasons and held the same title for two years at Sam Houston State before joining the Bobcats in 2004.

With his move to Texas State, Naivar brought a certain energy that reflected in the Bobcats' play on defense. The Bobcats have been among the Southland Conference leaders in quarterback sacks the past three years. The `Cats led the league with 30 sacks in 2005 and ranked second in in 2004 and again in 2006. In fact in 2005, Texas State led the league or ranked second in every SLC defensive category.

In three years at Texas State he had 14 players named to the All-Southland Conference team - nine to the first team and five to the second squad.

In addition to coordinating the Bobcats' defensive unit, Naivar was also responsible for coaching the squad's safeties. At Texas State, Naivar recruited West Houston and Southwest Houston.

The 2005 season marked the second time Naivar had been a part of a Southland Conference championship. During his tenure in Huntsville, Sam Houston won the Southland Conference title in 2001 and reached the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs, losing in the quarterfinals to eventual national champion Montana.

In 2001, the Bearkats led the league in quarterback sacks, ranked second in turnover ratio and third in total defense. During his first season at Sam Houston while working not only on defense but with the Bearkats' special teams, the squad led the league in kickoff returns, were second in punt returns and third in sacks. The Bearkats blocked seven punts, returning five for touchdowns. The team blocked a school-record 12 kicks during the year. At Sam Houston State, Naivar coached nine All-SLC selections.

Naivar also served two seasons as the special teams coordinator and defensive line coach at Southern Illinois. Naivar was a defensive graduate assistant coach at TCU during the spring of 1998 under former Texas State and current Texas A&M head coach Dennis Franchione. He also worked under Franchione at New Mexico in 1996 and 1997, coaching the defensive line, tight ends and wide receivers.

From 1994 to 1995, Naivar was the special teams coordinator and defensive assistant at Hardin-Simmons under Texas High School Coaches Association Hall of Honor member Jimmie Keeling.

Naivar holds both a master's of sports management and a bachelor's of science in degree in physical education from Hardin-Simmons. He was a four-year football letter winner at quarterback and free safety, earning all-conference honors. He played on a conference championship team which advanced to the national semifinals his senior year. He also received academic honors from Hardin-Simmons.

Naivar and his wife Michelle, also a Taylor native, have a daughter, Jordan Ashleigh (three) and a son, Gunner, (one).