At Texas, he was known as "Little" Crawford and reportedly "taught the Yale system of play and stressed conditioning." Crawford led the 1895 Longhorns to a perfect 5–0 record, as the team outscored its opponents by a combined 96–0 margin After a Thanksgiving Day victory over San Antonio by a score of 38–0, Crawford reportedly left for Mexico to watch bullfights and then returned to his home in Nebraska.
The Texas coach "Little" Crawford was known for his coaching style, which emphasized conditioning, leading the 1895 Longhorns to an undefeated season with a large scoring margin. After a Thanksgiving Day win against San Antonio by a score of 38–0, he reportedly traveled to Mexico to watch bullfights and then returned home to Nebraska.