Colorado State hires Addazio as coach

One of the criteria Colorado State had for its next football coach was experience.

The Rams checked that box with the hiring of Steve Addazio.

Addazio agreed to a fiveyear contract Wednesday, with a base salary of $1.5 million in the first year and with a $50,000 increase each year of the deal.

The 60yearold Addazio, who coached at Cheshire High earlier in his career, wasn’t out of work long after being fired by Boston College on Dec. 1. He was 4444 in seven seasons with the Eagles.

Addazio replaces Mike Bobo, who parted ways with the program last week after reaching a financial settlement with Colorado State. Bobo is now the offensive coordinator at South Carolina.

At Colorado State, Addazio inherits a team that is coming off a second straight losing season.

“Our program will be one built on toughness and passion, and we will work tirelessly to develop men of character to return championshiplevel football back to

Colorado State,“Addazio said in a statement.

Boston College won seven games in five different seasons under Addazio. The Eagles became bowleligible this season by beating Pittsburgh in their final regularseason game. But Addazio never restored the luster to a program that frequently was ranked in the AP Top 25 in the early 2000s.

Before arriving at Boston College, Addazio was in charge for two seasons at Temple. And before that, he was an assistant coach on Florida teams that won national championships during the 2006 and ‘08 seasons. While at Florida, he worked with Urban Meyer, who’s been seen around Colorado State athletic director Joe Parker during the hiring process.

Addazio becomes the 23rd head football coach at Colorado State.

“Throughout his career, Coach Addazio has been committed to the holistic development of studentathletes and of the programs he has led,” Parker said. “He has focused on crafting cultures where his students thrive on the field and in the classroom.”