UPDATE: As of 3:00 p.m. MT, the CSU athletic department let members of the media know they will announce their next head football coach at Noon MT Tuesday December 13. It is expected that Jim McElwain will be placed in that position.
Multiple sources, including Gold and Green News' Ryan Krous and www.RamificationsCSU.com citing a source within the athletic department, are reporting that Alabama Offensive Coordinator Jim McElwain will be named Colorado State's next head coach and the announcement could come as soon as today.
It's been a wild week and a half in Fort Collins, with AD Paul Kowalczyk fired in favor of Jack Graham on Dec. 1, then Graham firing Rams' head coach Steve Fairchild three days later. Fairchild was fired after going 16-33 combined in his four seasons as the head man at CSU and Graham has big visions of the future in Fort Collins, including not only a perennial bowl-competing football team, but also a new on-campus stadium in the near future.
But before Graham and Colorado State can erect a gleaming new football stadium on campus, the new Athletic Director must hire a new head coach. Graham's taking the process very seriously and discussed it in his open letter today on CSURams.com.
“On Thursday, I hit the road to begin interviews, in search of a leader to guide our football program into a new era,” Graham wrote. “I take this responsibility very seriously, knowing it is one of the most important decisions I will ever make as CSU’s director of athletics.”
Reportedly Graham has found his leader in McElwain, who has been Alabama's OC since 2008 and was also Fresno State's OC in 2007, the Oakland Raiders' QB coach in 2006, Michigan State's assistant head coach from 2003-2005 and played quarterback for Eastern Washington from 1980-83.
With Fresno State in 2007, McElwain built an offensive machine, which put up 419.5 yards and 32.9 points per game as the Bulldogs finished with a 9-4 record.
At Alabama, McElwain's offense was well-balanced, efficient and productive. In 2008, the Crimson Tide put up 30.1 PPG which helped the team to a 12-2 record.
2009 was a truly special year for McElwain and Alabama though, as the team went 14-0 and won the BCS National Championship. McElwain utilized both Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson well together and the Crimson Tide's 215 rushing yards per game that season were good for 12th in the nation. Alabama put up 32.1 PPG in 2009 and their 5,642 yards from scrimmage set a single season school record under McElwain's tutelage. And while 'Bama featured two of the nation's most dangerous running backs, McElwain found a way to work in a highly efficient passing game that allowed Greg McElroy to pass for 17 touchdowns compared to only four interceptions in his first year as the starter.
Under Fairchild, the Rams were 61st, 97th, 114th and 101st in scoring respectively, with their highest ranking coming in the 7-6 New Mexico Bowl winning 2008 season. Colorado State is in desperate need of offensive explosiveness and McElwain looks to be just the kind of coach the Rams need.
Big plays are exciting and they will breathe life back into a struggling program, giving fans a reason to go back to Sonny Lubick Field at Hughes Stadium. CSU attendance numbers have been hovering around 23,000 per game the last two years and the fans are in need of an offense that can put points on the board.
No official word has come from the school yet announcing McElwain as Fairchild's successor, though it is expected the Alabama OC will be introduced as Colorado State's new head coach this week as the recruiting season is nearing the stretch run.
McElwain was also a candidate at Fresno State, a job he apparently turned down due to a lack of funding in the athletic department, and was also to be hired as Memphis' new head coach, but said no to them as well.
This story will be updated as soon as more information is available.
Rich Kurtzman is a freelance journalist actively seeking a career in journalism. Along with being your CSU Rams Examiner, Kurtzman writes for Blake Street Bulletin, Stadium Journey, Bleacher Report, and Mile High Hoops.
Follow Rich on twitter for breaking news, need-to-know retweets and interesting insight on the Rams and everything Colorado sports related.
Follow Rich on facebook to links to all his pieces and breaking news.
Comments