FORT COLLINS — When they arrive in the Fum McGraw Athletic Center and offices, when they’re around the Joey Porter locker room in the Moby Arena complex, when they’re on the practice field, they’re still Colorado State coaches.
But for how much longer?
Monday, when the Rams went through their first practice after learning they would play Utah in the Dec. 20 Las Vegas Bowl, interim head coach Dave Baldwin — Jim McElwain’s offensive coordinator — noticeably made the rounds of all the position groups.
And there, the assistant coaches were men uncertain of their futures, not knowing whether they might be able to stick at CSU, perhaps move to Florida with McElwain after he goes through the courtesy of assessing the Gators’ staff, or … not have jobs.
“It’s harder when they leave this building, because they go to families,” Baldwin said. “You could be a 10-2 football team and not be employed. You could be an 11-2 football team and not have a job. Wife’s at home, children are at home, (saying) ‘Daddy, I don’t want to move,’ those kinds of things.
“Those are distractions. But when you get in this building, that’s what you’re paid to do.”
The official search is set to begin in earnest later in the week, involving president Tony Frank and interim athletic director John Morris working with consultants Glenn Sugiyama and former Wisconsin AD Pat Richter of DHR International. Baldwin is open about his desire to strike the word “interim” from his title and succeed McElwain.
“When people say they don’t want to be this guy, don’t believe it,” Baldwin said, smiling. “Everybody wants to be that leader.”
Previously the head coach at two junior colleges, plus Cal State Northridge and San Jose State, Baldwin said of the Rams: “These guys know who I am. I have a personality that’s different from the head coach who was here in the past. I’m much more of a hands-on guy. I’m not going to put that ‘HC’ on and walk around. I’m there. I can’t change, and I don’t want to change.”
Baldwin said some things would be “tweaked” from the McElwain practice routine, but they would be minor.
“We need to harp on finishing on that great note,” he said. “This ship is headed in the right direction. There’s no doubt about that. Let’s just guide it in now. I’m that tugboat helping it to get in.”
Baldwin worked under Jack Elway — John’s father — at Cal State Northridge, San Jose State and Stanford before becoming a head coach. Baldwin’s departure from San Jose State came after a 7-5 season in 2000, when he was offered a bizarre three-year contract that included adding a year, knocking a year off the deal or ending it altogether, based on the Spartans’ Western Athletic Conference record in 2001. He and his agent didn’t accept that, made a counteroffer then were stunned to hear that San Jose State declared he wouldn’t be back.
Terry Frei: tfrei@denverpost.com or
