Colorado State hires Norvell from Nevada
Colorado State hired the first Black head football coach in program history Monday, bringing in Nevada’s Jay Norvell to take over for Steve Addazio.
Norvell is coming off a season in which he guided the Wolf Pack to an 8-4 record and a spot in the Quick Lane Bowl against Western Michigan on Dec. 27.
“From the outset, the interest in our coaching position was significant, but one name and resume stood above the rest from the very beginning – Jay Norvell,” Colorado State director of athletics Joe Parker said in a statement.
An offensive innovator, Norvell has led his team to bowl games in four of the five seasons he’s been at Nevada. He’s 33-26 since being hired by the Wolf Pack on Dec. 9, 2016.
That includes a 2-1 mark against fellow Mountain West member Colorado State. The Wolf Pack beat Colorado State 52-10 on Nov. 27 in a game where Addazio was ejected. It would prove to be Addazio’s final contest with the Rams.
The hiring of Norvell didn’t take long after Addazio was fired last Thursday. Addazio was let go after posting a 4-12 record over two seasons in Fort Collins. Addazio’s tenure got off to a rocky start last year when the university opened an investigation into the program’s handling of COVID-19 cases, which uncovered allegations of racism and verbal abuse toward athletes.
Norvell found success at Nevada by putting a spin on a version of the “Air Raid” offense, which is usually run out of a shotgun formation but his style incorporates some under-the-center schemes and features a physical ground game. His offensive coordinator at Nevada was Matt Mumme, whose father, Hal, helped popularize the “Air Raid” offense. The Wolf Pack were fourth in the nation in passing offense this season, averaging 365.8 yards per game.
“I am humbled, thankful, but most importantly excited to begin this process of building Colorado State into the championship contender we all know it can be,” Norvell said. “My family and I are ecstatic and cannot wait to get to Fort Collins to get started.”