Dave Baldwin To Be OSU OC

New Oregon St. head football coach Gary Andersen has finally chosen his Offensive Coordinator, and its someone he's familiar with. Pac-12 fans will recognize Dave Baldwin most recently from the Las Vegas Bowl, where he served as the interim head coach, in a 45-10 loss to Utah, and recent season opening games against Colorado, as he has been the Offensive Coordinator for Colorado St. for the last 3 seasons, but became a free agent in the wake of Florida hiring Rams coach Jim McElwain.

Prior to that, Baldwin was Andersen's Offensive Coordinator for the first 3 of Andersen's 4 seasons at Utah St.

Baldwin, 59, is a long time Offensive Coordinator, having held that position in the dual role as quarterbacks coach for 2 seasons before that at New Mexico, and before that, for 4 year stints at Michigan St. (as OC & Tight Ends coach) and Baylor (again as OC & QB coach), and as the Cincinnati OC for a year.

He was the head coach at San Jose St. for 4 years, from 1997 through 2000, taking the Spartans to a bowl game one time, and for 2 years before that at FCS Cal-State Northridge. He went 9-12 at Northridge, but 7-4 in his second season, and was 18-27 at San Jose St.

He has 4 years of then Pac-10 experience, as the Stanford Wide Receivers coach from 1985 thru 1988, following 4 years as the WR coach at San Jose St.

Baldwin is a spread offense proponent, in line with Andersen's plans, and developed Rashard Higgins into a 1750 yard, 17 touchdown Wide Receiver, Dee Hart into a 1275 yard, 16 touchdown running back, and Garrett Grayson into a quarterback who threw 32 touchdowns, against only 7 interceptions, in route to a 10-3 season this year at Colorado St.

Andersen's next priority be to decide on the quarterbacks coach, with a decision expected imminently.

Andy_Wooldridge@yahoo.com