As of this writing, 17 FBS head coaching positions have come open and 10 have been filled. One of the remaining seven is Colorado State.
The school did not fire Mike Bobo until last Wednesday, Dec. 4, four days after the Rams closed a 4-8 season. This, despite the fact that it was obvious to industry insiders throughout the fall that the 2019 season would be Bobo's last in Fort Collins.
And now, a week later, the move to fire Bobo looks downright hasty compared to the school's campaign to find his replacement.
Many within the industry assumed Colorado State would hire Tony Alford, a former Rams running back who's as responsible as any assistant for assembling a juggernaut roster at Ohio State. However, Colorado State AD Joe Parker indicated the school was interested in hiring former head coaches. "Someone who has a proven culture that they’ve led programs that have had great success," to use his words.
At first, it seemed the school was prepared to hire Butch Jones, who fit that bill as someone who compiled an 84-54 career record at Central Michigan, Cincinnati and Tennessee. But then Colorado State president Joyce McConnell reportedly became spooked at Jones's implication in a Title IX lawsuit at Tennessee. (Jones denied any wrongdoing.)
Then, the search turned to Kevin Wilson. Wilson did not have the same track record of success at Indiana, going 26-47 in six seasons at Indiana. One attribute he did share with Jones, though, was a reputation dogged by allegations of mistreatment in reportedly forcing injured IU players to play. (Wilson denied any wrongdoing, and was cleared by the University's investigation.) Wilson has served as co-offensive coordinator or coordinator at Ohio State the past three seasons.
Now, sources say former Boston College coach Steve Addazio is trending in Fort Collins. Addazio is fresh off a stint in which he went 44-44 in seven seasons in Chestnut Hill. One has to wonder if that record will be good enough to fit Parker's criteria, and if his reputation is clean enough for McConnell, given that his firing last week was immediately met with numerous former BC players who couldn't wait to share their negative experiences with Addazio.
Addazio also shares a trait with Wilson and Alford in that all three are fruits of the Urban Meyer coaching tree. Meyer has been working as a consultant for Colorado State in its search, and was photographed with Parker and McConnell in Indianapolis on Saturday night.
One has to wonder why McConnell didn't air her reservations about these candidates until such time as the AD was ready to hire them?
To top it all off, whispers in the profession list Parker as a serious candidate for the open AD position at Cincinnati, who is reportedly moving toward a hire.
In the meantime, Colorado State is 7-17 over its past two seasons, its new stadium sat empty throughout the fall, and Signing Day is a week from today.
President McConnell has taken a hands-on approached to this process, as evidenced above. And yet Parker's recommendations for the next Rams coach were nixed in the 11th hour by concerns that should have been addressed before the interview process, not after. The search has turned toward Addazio as of this writing. But will it remain heading in that direction when McConnell fires up the Google machine on him?
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.