Interest in CSU job hits high level

fort collins » The search for JimMcElwain’s successor atColorado State is on. And the selection committee is small — Colorado State president Tony Frank and interim athletic director John Morris.

Morris, formerly the associate AD atWashington, joined CSU in 2012 as an assistant AD. He has been the top officer in the athletic department since the firing of Jack Graham in August. The search process to name a newAD was on hold until the future of the CSU’s on-campus stadium project was decided, but Morris has said he hopes to be considered for the job. Meanwhile, he is helping Frank select a newfootball coach.

“This is a fantastic place to be a head football coach,” Morris said. “This is a dreamjob, this is a destination job, and we are already attracting amazing candidates from the highest levels of football. ... I cannot commit to a timetable. We will hurry, but we will not rush. We need to get this done, but more important, for our studentathletes and our fans, we need to get this done right.”

Morris said CSU had heard from“north of 40 to 50 candidates — impressive ones. It’s staggering, frankly.” He added, “We will hire someone who wants to be at Colorado State long term.”

CSUnamed offensive coordinatorDave Baldwin as interim coach for the Rams’ bowl game. Morris indicated Baldwin and perhaps other assistants will be considered for the head coaching job.

“We owe it to our student-athletes to do a national search to find the best candidate to lead this program,” Morris said. “In football, especially with signing day a couple of months away, with a program that is succeeding with a system that’sworking, your termwas ‘continuity,’ that is a huge factor that needs to be considered. We have exceptional coaches and I expect that we will have at least one very strong internal candidate.”

Co-defensive coordinators Marty English and Al Simmons, as well as assistant head coach and linebackers coach Tim Skipper, are the staff’s other possibilities. Potential candidates include: • Tony Alford, a former CSU running backwho nowis the running backs coach at Notre Dame.

• BillyGonzales, a former Rams wide receiver, now co-offensive coordinator atMississippi State.

• Three recently fired head coaches: Brady Hoke (Michigan), Bo Pelini (Nebraska) and, yes, Will Muschamp (Florida).

• Rhett Lashlee, Auburn’s offensive coordinator.

• Two members of the Oregon staff: offensive coordinator Scott Frost and wide receivers coach Matt Lubick, son of former CSU head coach Sonny Lubick.

• Rick Dennison, a former CSU linebacker and longtime Broncos assistant, now the quarterbacks coach for the Baltimore Ravens.