Rams’ forecast: mostly Sonny
A look at how football coaches have fared at Colorado State the past 25 years: Coach Years Record Earle Bruce 1989-92 22-24-1 Sonny Lubick 1993-2007 108-74 Steve Fairchild 2008-11 16-33 Jim McElwain 2012-14 22-16 Playoff rankings froma nonpower league.
After the news broke that McElwain had reached agreement on a six-year, $21 million contract with Florida, he met with his CSU players in theMcGrawAthleticCenter’s auditorium at around 9:25 a.m. for about eight minutes and was greeted with applause. He left without commenting to the media. The players remained in the auditorium with interim athletic director JohnMorris for a few minutes, and most went as a group to the team’s nearby locker room.
After the meeting, the players were discouraged from talking to reporters, but junior H-back and tight end StevenWalker, an all-Mountain West choice, said they had been told that Baldwinwould be the interim head coach, which CSU confirmed later.
“It’s somethingwe have to go through as a team,” Walker said. “Coach Baldwin’s a great coach and we’re going to get a victory in this bowl game. It’s a change for us, but we’re going to get through it as a team.”
Did the players feel let down by McElwain’s decision to leave CSU?
“No, not at all,” Walker said. “He had to take an opportunity for himself and for his family. We’re happy for him. He’s going on to a great programand he’s going to dowhat he has to do.”
Baldwin, 59, is a respected veteran who was the head coach at San Jose State from 1997-2000. Hewas the offensive coordinator at Michigan State when McElwain was the Spartans’ wide receivers coach, and he left theUtah State staff to joinMcElwain atCSU in 2012. He said he “definitely” would like to be considered asMcElwain’s successor.
“That’swhy I’m in the business,” Baldwin said. “I’ve been a head coach. I came here with Coach Mac for a purpose.” He cited Boise State, San Diego State and Utah State as examples of successful programs that have elevated a staff member after the head coach left.
Baldwin said he would continue to call plays at the Rams’ bowl game.
CSUnowis operating with an interim athletic director (Morris) and an interim head coach (Baldwin) as school president Tony Frank prepares to meet Friday with theCSU system’s board of governors in Denver to formally deliver his recommendation to move ahead with the on-campus stadium project. Frank said Thursday the coaching change andwhirlwind of events didn’t cause him to consider postponing his stadium recommendation. “The stadium is a long-term decision for the university that goeswell beyond one individual,” he said. “I will be making my same recommendation to the board as scheduled.”