Cal Poly may be close to hiring a new head football coach — from a Pac 12 school
Cal Poly is searching for a new head football coach, and the school is in serious talks with Cal Berkeley’s offensive coordinator, according to the website FootballScoop.
Beau Baldwin, in his third season overseeing Cal’s offense, is expected to become the next head coach for the Mustangs, the football news website announced Monday morning.
Athletic Director Don Oberhelman didn’t immediately respond to Tribune questions about the potential hire.
Tim Walsh announced his retirement on Nov. 25 after 11 seasons as the Mustangs head coach.
Baldwin is also the assistant head coach and running backs coach at Cal. He formerly served as the head football coach at Eastern Washington, which plays in the Big Sky Conference like Cal Poly.
“Barring a late-stage breakdown in talks, Beau Baldwin is expected to be the next head coach at Cal Poly, sources told FootballScoop on Monday,” the website wrote. “Sources told FootballScoop no signatures are in place at this time, but both sides anticipate a deal getting done.”
Baldwin’s career includes Big Sky Conference title
Baldwin worked closely with former Mission Prep star Patrick Laird while at Cal. Laird rushed for 2,153 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground as a Golden Bear.
Laird, now a Miami Dolphin, also holds the Bears’ receiving record as a running back with 99 receptions; he tallied 608 yards on catches and five touchdowns.
Baldwin also coached Cooper Kupp, a wide receiver for the Los Angeles Rams who played collegiately at Eastern Washington.
While in college, Baldwin played quarterback at Central Washington from 1990-93, earning his bachelor’s degree there; he went on to play one season of semi-pro football in Sweden in 1993.
As Eastern Washington’s head coach, he won five Big Sky conference titles, including a Football Championship Subdivision national championship in 2010.
Baldwin was named the 2014 American Football Coaches Association Region 5 Coach of the Year in the FCS.
Cal Poly searching for coach that fits program
Oberhelman told The Tribune in an email last week that his hope for the program’s future is to find a coach that understands Cal Poly’s priorities and culture.
“(The new coach) must understand our identity when it comes to academics,” Oberhelman said. “(The coach should be) someone who is a great teacher and mentor, can inspire the young men in our football program and galvanize our community.”
As far as strategy on the field, after several years of a program that featured a triple option offense, Oberhelman said the hiring search would involve conversations with candidates about offense and defense.
“But we will hire the right person for Cal Poly football and they will make the determinations related to on-field strategy,” Oberhelman said.
Oberhelman said it will be imperative for the new coach to hit the ground running on recruiting; keys to success also will include hiring “a quality staff this is capable of competing for Big Sky championships.”
Cal Poly’s athletic director said “there is no set timeline other than to move expeditiously” on the hire.
“It is a logical conclusion to believe success on the field leads to donations and ticket sales,” Oberhelman said. “We need greater support in the community to financially support Division I football on the Central Coast, and the president and I are committed to being successful in football.”
Walsh credited for mentorship despite recent struggles
The Mustangs’ athletic director applauded Walsh for his mentorship, calling him an “an outstanding leader and teacher and immensely respected by everyone who has met him.”
Walsh finished last season 3-8, marking the program’s third straight losing season.
Walsh led the Mustangs program to a 59-66 record during his tenure, and a 32-32 mark in the university’s first eight seasons in the Big Sky conference.
Walsh guided Cal Poly to a share of the Big Sky Conference Championship in 2012 with a 9-3 record, his best year with the program.
“While I do wish we had won more football games, (Walsh) has made a dramatic impact upon the lives of hundreds of young men at Cal Poly,” Oberhelman said. “We are all better for having the opportunity to work with him.”
Oberhelman cited the program’s success in academics, noting its academic progress rate (APR) was the highest in the Big Sky.
“We have outstanding young men in our program, and our culture is rock solid,” Oberhelman said. “Our new coach will utilize this to our advantage to continue to build our program and win football games.”
This story was originally published December 9, 2019 at 2:47 PM with the headline "Cal Poly may be close to hiring a new head football coach — from a Pac 12 school."
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