Aidan Crawley’s long-lasting relationship with Stevenson football is close to culmination.
As the youngest of four brothers who have all played for the Patriots, Crawley has a lot of memories of past teams.
It’s his turn in the spotlight. But as the 5-foot-10 Crawley enters his third season as Stevenson’s starting quarterback, he can’t help but think about his family’s association with the program even as he does everything possible to make an indelible mark of his own.
“There’s a pretty big age gap, but we’re pretty close, and sports has always been a huge part of what’s brought us together,” Crawley said. “Growing up, I came to almost every game, and it was awesome. So now to play on the same field that I watched them play on is pretty cool.”
Crawley waited a long time for his turn, and he’s making the most of it for the defending North Suburban Conference co-champion Patriots (10-2, 6-1), who will open the season with a nonconference game at Prospect on Aug. 29.
Crawley’s athleticism — he’s also the starting shortstop for Stevenson’s baseball team — is an obvious factor in his success. But as many younger siblings will attest, there’s often a strong desire to prove one’s worth, and Crawley is one of them.
“I’m actually writing my college essay on that,” he said of being the youngest of four brothers. “They’ve been a huge factor in my success. I’ve always been a leech to learn from them — things like being positive and how to be a leader. As good as they were as players, though, I’ve always had the thought of being better than them.”
Crawley may have already achieved that goal. As a sophomore in 2023, he completed 61% of his passes with 17 touchdowns and just four interceptions. He threw for 2,222 yards and 21 TDs last season, when he led the Patriots to the Class 8A state quarterfinals for the first time since their 2014 state title.
Crawley’s oldest brother, Connor, played on the 2014 team. Connor is a year older than Brandon, a 2017 Stevenson graduate, and five years older than Liam, a 2021 Stevenson graduate.
“We used to be so tough on him (Aidan) because I knew the potential he had,” Connor Crawley said. “Honestly, we used to treat him like one of us, whether it was baseball, basketball, football, which is kind of crazy since I’m 10 years older than him. We knew he’d be hardened and ready for the big stage, and he’s shown that.”
Brent Becker, who has coached all four Crawley brothers at Stevenson, has watched Aidan Crawley grow up. Becker’s son Zach and Crawley are classmates who have played multiple sports together over the years.
Becker is confident that Crawley’s performance this season will be his best to date.
“He has the benefit of this being his third year knowing the system, and his football IQ is very high,” Becker said. “Aidan plays with a lot of confidence and moxie and uses his athleticism really to his advantage. And the more times you do something, the better you get at it.”
Crawley echoed his coach’s sentiments and thinks having all of those snaps under his belt can only be beneficial.
“I feel that being mobile both in and out of the pocket is a strength,” he said. “I don’t have a plan to scramble, but pressure is just something I feel. I also understand so much better what the defense is giving us, which really helps me make good decisions.”
Crawley’s knowledge of the offense is particularly important this season, given the fairly inexperienced backfield and receiving corps.
“When I was a sophomore, I was still a little confused, and our conversations were about what to look for and who to throw to,” he said. “Now I’m able to identify coverages, and the conversations are more advanced. I’m more freed up to keep my teammates up and be leading them.”
By this point in his career, Crawley is used to having a lot of eyes on him, and he hopes to attract more among college coaches. Crawley understands that his film from upcoming games may dictate where he plays at the next level.
The high stakes don’t faze him, however.
“This year is going to be pretty important, and I need to have a solid year,” Crawley said. “There’s definitely a little bit of pressure, but it’s nothing I haven’t dealt with before. I’ll just do my thing and let the hard work pay off.”
NFL fans know the sky can be the limit for Stevenson quarterbacks named Aidan, as seen with Oakland Raiders backup Aidan O’Connell.
But Crawley’s focus is squarely on the present.
“I feel super confident in what my job is as a senior quarterback,” he said. “We all have goals of winning a lot of games, winning conference and doing the best we can in the playoffs. I feel I’ve matured a lot and have the tools necessary to help us get there.”
Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter.
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