Mountain West Connection - Colorado State hires Georgia OC Mike Bobo as head coachAll you need to know about the Mountain West, and then somehttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/50409/mwc-fav.png2015-01-06T22:12:40-08:00http://www.mwcconnection.com/rss/stream/70875982015-01-06T22:12:40-08:002015-01-06T22:12:40-08:00Colorado State finalizes coaching staff<img src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/iucPMwi3TsYq47S-xwqTXnQwGs0=/410x410/cdn.vox-cdn.com/fan_shot_images/369200/2015_CSU_staff_2.0.png" />
<div class="source source-img"><p><p>Mike Bobo has completed his staff at Colorado State (Via <a href="http://coachingsearch.com/article?a=Chart-Mike-Bobo-completes-staff-at-Colorado-State" target="new">Coaching Search</a>)</p></p></div>
https://www.mwcconnection.com/2015/1/6/7507087/colorado-states-updated-coaching-staffJeremy Mauss2014-12-29T21:17:05-08:002014-12-29T21:17:05-08:00Dave Baldwin Named OC at Oregon State
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<figcaption>Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The offensive coordinator leaving marks the end of the Jim McElwain era at Colorado State.</p> <p>Over the weekend it was announced that former Colorado State offensive coordinator Dave Baldwin will join Gary Andersen's new staff at Oregon State.</p>
<p>He served under Andersen as offensive coordinator at Utah State from 2009-2011. Baldwin who was apart of Jim McElwain's staff the three years he was head coach at Colorado State, was a candidate to replace McElwain after he left for Florida. Baldwin was notified that he wouldn't get the job and the entire staff was given their termination papers shortly after.</p>
<p>The departure of Baldwin to me marks the end of the McElwain era. The offense was explosive under him and McElwain. I was honestly in favor of him staying if a defensive minded coach was hired. However with the hire of Mike Bobo the former offensive coordinator at Georgia,</p>
<p>it was a foregone conclusion that he would prefer bringing in his own coordinator. Baldwin will lead an offensive at Oregon State that will be explosive and fast. The Rams will be just fine under Bobo along with new offensive coordinator Will Friend.</p>
https://www.mwcconnection.com/2014/12/29/7466193/dave-baldwin-named-offensive-coordinator-at-oregon-stateTerrance Dickens2014-12-25T07:00:02-08:002014-12-25T07:00:02-08:00Will Friend, Marty English added to CSU staff
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<p>New head coach Mike Bobo announced his first to hires to the Colorado State staff.</p> <p>New <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/colorado-st-rams">Colorado State Rams</a> head coach Mike Bobo has announced Will Friend and Marty English as his first two staff hires. Friend follows Bobo from Georgia where he was the offensive line coach and running game coordinator, and he will take over as the offensive coordinator for the Rams.</p>
<p>English has been the co-defensive coordinator for Colorado State for previous three seasons and will be a defensive coach, but his exact job title is unknown.</p>
<p>Bobo and Friend will stay coaching at Georgia through Dec. 30 when the Bulldogs take on Louisville in the Belk Bowl. The two have coached together at Georgia since 2011 and helped the Bulldogs have one of the most prolific offenses and running game in the SEC. This past year, Georgia was 12th in rushing offense at 255 yards per game, and eighth in scoring offense by scoring 41.7 per game.</p>
<p>With Friend being named as the offensive coordinator, it likely means that Dave Baldwin will not be retained as offensive coordinator. The offense by no means was broken under Baldwin as the Rams were second in total yards per game in the Mountain West and the most explosive by averaging 7.09 yards per play.</p>
https://www.mwcconnection.com/2014/12/25/7448267/colorado-state-will-friend-marty-englishJeremy Mauss2014-12-22T23:59:17-08:002014-12-22T23:59:17-08:00Why Mike Bobo is a good fit for Colorado State
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<figcaption>Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Colorado State has announced the hiring of Mike Bobo as the new head coach of the football program. </p> <p>The <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/colorado-st-rams" class="sbn-auto-link">Colorado State Rams</a> football team has named Georgia Bulldog offensive coordinator Mike Bobo as their next head coach. After weeks of speculation over who would replace Jim McElwain, Colorado State has found their guy. Similar to 2011 when the Rams were searching for a new head coach, the Rams have dipped into the pool of talented coordinators in the SEC for their head football coach.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><b>Who is Mike Bobo? </b></p>
<p>Bobo is a former quarterback of the <a href="https://www.dawgsports.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Georgia Bulldogs</a> who played from 1994-1997. After his playing days at Georgia, Bobo got into the coaching profession as a student coach in 1998 and then a graduate assistant in 1999, both at Georgia. In 2000, Bobo took a job at Jacksonville State as their quarterback coach before being hired at Georgia in 2001 to be the Bulldog's quarterback coach. Bobo has been the Bulldog's quarterback coach since, and took over as offensive coordinator in 2007.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><b>Why is Mike Bobo a good fit at Colorado State?</b></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">First things first, Bobo is quarterbacks coach who has helped develop some of the best quarterbacks that college football has seen over the past decade in current Detroit Lions starter <span>Matthew Stafford</span> and Kansas City Chiefs backup Aaron Murray. With the loss of Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year Garrett Grayson, it will be inevitable that Bobo and his staff find a replacement at the quarterback position. His options don't include the caliber of kids that he's had while coaching at Georgia, but he still has some talent to work with.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Currently on the roster is sophomore <span>Nick Stevens</span> who saw action in five games this past season. Stevens completed 15 of 25 passes for 136 yards and one touchdown is his limited action as Grayson's backup. The next quarterback on the depth chart is <span>Coleman Key</span>, a redshirt freshman who sat out in 2014. Key was a three star pro style quarterback from Broken Arrow High School in Oklahoma. In his final season at Broken Arrow, Key completed 62 percent of his passes for 2621 yards and 29 touchdowns. The final quarterback that Bobo will have to work with is incoming freshman J.C. Robles, a two star pro style quarterback from El Diamante High School in Visalia, California.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">So what does this have to do with the 2015 Colorado State football team? Well Bobo was in a similar situation at Georgia in 2014 when the Bulldogs lost four year starter Aaron Murray. Murray was replaced by Hutson Mason, a senior quarterback who had limited game time experience. What did Bobo have to work with? Arguably the best running back in the country in <span>Todd Gurley</span> and one of the best freshman running backs in Nick Chubb. With the talent at the running back position and inexperience at the quarterback position, Bobo changed his offense up and focused on his strength, running the football. Focusing on the run game allowed Mason to have a very efficient season at quarterback and helped the Bulldogs to an offense that ranked eight in points per game and 12th in rushing yards.</p>
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<p>UGA offense in FBS: Rush off. (255.0-12 FBS), pass efficiency (157.86-9 FBS), Scoring off. (41.7-8 FBS), 4th down conversion % (85.7%-1 FBS)</p>
— CSU Rams Football (@CSUFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/CSUFootball/status/547245683867013121">December 23, 2014</a>
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<p style="text-align: left;">Fast forward to 2015 in Fort Collins. A new, inexperienced quarterback is almost guaranteed to take over for the Rams. What is the strength of the Colorado State football team? Running back and wide receiver. All-America wide receiver <span>Rashard Higgins</span> will most certainly help break in the new quarterback. At running back, <span>Dee Hart</span> (if he stays) will be Bobo's go to guy. Add in <span>Treyous Jarrells</span> who had a solid year as the back up running back, Jason Oden who was the third back in the rotation, freshman running back <span>Deron Thompson</span> who saw limited action in 2014, and <span>Dalyn Dawkins</span>, the nephew of Brian Dawkins and a transfer from Purdue, and the Rams have solid depth at running back to lean on.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">The offensive style that Bobo used at Georgia will translate relatively easily to the system that the Rams ran under McElwain and offensive coordinator Dave Baldwin. Both teams ran a pro style offense with shifts at the line of scrimmage and motioning the wide receivers. Below are two videos to compare Bobo's running style at Georgia and McElwain's style at Colorado State and how each coach used their star running backs.</p>
<p><iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/5MhI6kXUqho"></iframe></p>
<p><iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/l8AXRLLMz6A"></iframe></p>
<p>Bobo's experience as an offensive coordinator for eight years at Georgia is experience that Colorado State will need as the Ram's are now entering their post-Grayson stage as a program. Statistically, Grayson is the best quarterback to ever put on a Ram's uniform. Bobo has gone through that transition twice as an offensive coordinator when he lost Stafford after the 2008 season and Murray after the 2013 season. Bobo's experience changing an offense that relied heavily on a certain player will certainly come into play in his first season as a head football coach.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><b>What's next for Bobo and the Rams?</b></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Bobo will officially be named as the next head coach for Colorado State on Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. MST. Bobo must quickly put together a coaching staff and he and his staff must hit the recruiting trail as quickly as possible. It is unknown who will be on Bobo's staff and whether or not he will keep any current assistants. Without many ties out west, it might be a good idea for Bobo to keep some of his assistants that have done a good job recruiting California, Colorado and other states west of Colorado. There has been a rumor going around that Georgia assistant coach Will Friend will join Bobo and possibly be the offensive coordinator. Friend is the offensive line coach and run game coordinator for the Bulldogs.</p>
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<p>The question I’ve asked a number of coaches today was if Bobo goes does he bring Will Friend as OC. Strong possibility...</p>
— FootballScoop Staff (@FootballScoop) <a href="https://twitter.com/FootballScoop/status/547140013352177664">December 22, 2014</a>
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<p>What ends up happening with the coaching staff is certainly unknown. However, the hiring of Mike Bobo shows that Colorado State is committed to bringing in some of the best minds in the game to continue improving the football program.</p>
https://www.mwcconnection.com/2014/12/22/7439591/why-mike-bobo-is-good-fit-colorado-stateJoshua Carvalho2014-12-22T13:33:09-08:002014-12-22T13:33:09-08:00Mike Bobo expected to be named head coach at Colorado State
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<p>Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo will be the next head coach of the Colorado State Rams</p> <p>It appears that the coaching search for Colorado State's new head football coach is over. Many sources have announced that <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.dawgsports.com/">Georgia Bulldogs</a> offensive coordinator Mike Bobo will be the new head coach of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/colorado-st-rams">Colorado State Rams</a>.</p>
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<p>CSU is closing in on a deal with Georgia OC Mike Bobo. Story posting shortly.</p>
— Terry Frei (@TFrei) <a href="https://twitter.com/TFrei/status/547137015259463682">December 22, 2014</a>
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<p>A news conference introducing Bobo as the next head coach is expected on Tuesday.</p>
https://www.mwcconnection.com/2014/12/22/7436337/mike-bobo-named-the-next-head-coach-of-the-colorado-state-ramsJoshua Carvalho2014-12-21T10:50:40-08:002014-12-21T10:50:40-08:00Mississippi State co-OC Billy Gonzales in mix for Colorado State<h3 class="link-title"><a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/MattStephens/status/546717464021585920">Mississippi&nbsp;State co-OC Billy Gonzales in mix for Colorado State</a></h3>
<div class="description"><p><p>The former Colorado State wide receiver has reportedly interviewed for the open job.</p></p></div>
https://www.mwcconnection.com/2014/12/21/7430869/mississippi-state-co-oc-billy-gonzales-in-mix-for-colorado-stateJeremy Mauss2014-12-20T17:11:18-08:002014-12-20T17:11:18-08:00Colorado State gives termination papers to staff<h3 class="link-title"><a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/MattStephens/status/546465217769504768">Colorado State gives termination papers to&nbsp;staff</a></h3>
<div class="description"><p><p>This is a human resources move, and <a href="https://twitter.com/MattStephens/status/546471412873957376" target="new">does not eliminate any from remaining on staff</a>.</p></p></div>
https://www.mwcconnection.com/2014/12/20/7428699/colorado-state-gives-termination-papers-to-staffJeremy Mauss2014-12-20T16:21:03-08:002014-12-20T16:21:03-08:00Colorado State interviews more candidates
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<p>Colorado State has reportedly interviewed Ohio State's Chris Ash, and former USC associate head coach John Baxter.</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/colorado-st-rams">Colorado State Rams</a> coaching search has added a few names who have reportedly interviewed for their head coaching vacancy. <a href="http://www.mwcconnection.com/2014/12/19/7426351/pat-narduzzi-interviews-for-head-coach-position-at-colorado-state" target="_blank">Michigan State's Pat Narduzzi</a> has reportedly interviewed for the opening, and the latest names are Ohio State co-defensive coordinator Chris Ash and former USC associate head coach John Baxter, <a href="https://twitter.com/McMurphyESPN/status/546432292965871616" target="_blank">according to ESPN's Brett McMurphy</a>.</p>
<p>Ash has done a great job with Ohio State as he turned around an Ohio State defense which was 11th in 2013 in passing defense to fourth in 2014. This is his first year as the Buckeyes defensive coordinator, he previously came from Arkansas where he spent one season as their defensive coordinator. Ash does have some familiarity with the Mountain West as he spent two seasons coaching the defensive backs and recruiting coordinator between 2007-08 with San Diego State.</p>
<p>Baxter spent the past four seasons at USC as their associate head coach and special teams coordinator, but he spent 1997 - 2009 with Fresno State. He did not coach anywhere this past season.</p>
<p>It is not sure when these two candidates have interviewed since Colorado State played in the Las Vegas Bowl on Saturday. Also, since the Rams lost to Utah, 45-10, one has to wonder if the stock of internal candidates Dave Baldwin and Marty English took a hit.</p>
https://www.mwcconnection.com/2014/12/20/7428277/colorado-state-coaching-search-chris-asJeremy Mauss