Criner graduated from Coachella Valley High School in Thermal, California.
After playing college football and college baseball at Pepperdine University, Criner returned to Coachella Valley High School, where he coached football and baseball and taught for 21 years.
[2] Criner continued to coach baseball at Coachella Valley while working as a football assistant at COD.
[3][4] Criner succeeded Bill Kelly as head football coach at Snow in 1983.
He returned again to Coachella Valley High School as head football coach in 1990.