Colorado State University Athletics
Fairchild: CSU a `special place to play football'
12/13/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 13, 2007
Official Press Release | Steve Fairchild Photo Gallery | Statement from Steve Fairchild | Fairchild Names First Two Coaches
Press conference transcript
Paul Kowalczyk, opening comments
 |
 Steve Fairchild |
Coach Steve Fairchild, opening comments
(speaking via teleconference from Orchard Park, N.Y.)
"Thank you very much. First off, I'd like to say I'm very honored and excited to be the next head football coach at Colorado State University. I would like to thank Dr. Penley and Paul Kowalczyk for giving me this opportunity, as well as being sensitive to my current situation here with the Buffalo Bills. I would also like to take this chance to thank the Bills' owner Ralph Wilson and head coach Dick Jauron for affording me the opportunity to be a part of the Bills' organization for these past two seasons. I realize that I am following Sonny Lubick who is a close and personal friend of mine, who I respect as a great coach and even a better person. The eight years that I spent with Coach Lubick were the best and most-enjoyable and rewarding years that I've had in my coaching profession. I hope to continue to build upon the program that he has established at CSU. I realize this is a very big job at CSU and it is going to take a lot of people, a lot of good people, pulling in the same direction. As we move forward, we will need the support of the entire Colorado State community. I envision a program based on good character people, hard work, and discipline; a program that plays exciting football, and plays with great effort all the time. I'd like to see a program that everyone associated with Colorado State can be proud of. In my heart, I believe CSU is a very special place. My wife Nancy, my family and I are very excited about coming home. At this time, I'll take any questions that you might have."
STEVE FAIRCHILD Q&A
What went into the thought process of leaving the NFL to take this job?
"I have always dreamt of being a head coach and to be honest with you, it seems like that dream has always been with Colorado State. When this opportunity came available, it's something that I wanted to look at and as I looked at it further, I know it was the right time and the right fit for me to do this."
The first call you made when you heard about the opening?
"It was to Sonny Lubick. Like I said, Sonny is a dear friend of mine, and I made that call not with any intention of becoming the head coach, but just out of respect for all that he has done. He has been a mentor of mine in the things that I've been able to accomplish in the coaching profession are due in large part to him. As we visited, the subject came up with the head coaching job and would I be interested. Then, the more we talked and the more I thought about it, it started to become something that was an interest of mine at that point."
Will you serve as your own offensive coordinator?
"I'm gonna have to address that at a later date. It's something that I will be heavily involved in the offense at the start, but I'm not finished putting the staff together by any means and I would like to pursue some people out there before I go ahead and answer that."
Are you committed to an offensive scheme that you are going to run?
"I have a pretty good idea of what I'd like to do offensively, but makeup of the offensive staff will have some bearing on that, as well as the personnel there at Colorado State, and we get a chance to evaluate the personnel. That's one of the things you do in coaching, is always try to do what the people you have do well; we'll adapt as we get going."
Did you have a chance to go over personnel with Sonny or Paul you've got?
"A very vague conversation. And personally, I'd like it that way. I'd like to form my own opinions, getting in there when the time's right."
When was the job offered to you and how quickly was it that you called Larry Kerr and approached Marc Lubick?
"I don't know, I'd have to think back. I've been talking to Paul for a matter of days there. Certainly, when he called and offered me the job, it was within one second, with a big grin on my face, that I accepted. Then, there wasn't 30 seconds that went by after I hung up with Paul that I was doing one of my best recruiting jobs on Larry Kerr. I cannot say enough good things about him. Larry is a tremendous football coach, a tremendous person. He's what you want when you start to build a staff. He's a great coach and we're very fortunate to have him as the defensive coordinator at Colorado State."
How big a role are they going to serve for you, as you are still with the Bills?
"Larry's on board. I've hired Marc Lubick, who I was fortunate enough to work with when I was with the St. Louis Rams. Mark was in the organization. I feel very confident and very good about Marc and Tom Ehlers as the Director of Football Operations. So we've got some people holding down the fort and we'll make additions as we go. I'm not the least bit panicked about recruiting; there are some guys on board, we'll keep `em on board, and there'll be plenty of time in January to finish up the class when the time's appropriate."
Will you be calling guys who have already verbally committed to CSU?
"I will personally call everyone that has committed to Colorado State."
People are saying that you having a connection to Sonny Lubick is a good thing given how the situation went down with Sonny. What is your impression on that?
"Sonny Lubick is a legend in Colorado State football. Anybody that can be associated with that is real positive. I'm fortunate enough, I spent eight years in one job there, which is a long time there, as assistant coaches go. I was able to be on staff there with a lot of great players that have gone through the program and are still involved with the program. A lot of the boosters and people in the community that support the program I know. I think they are all positives to getting the Colorado State program going forward. I would like to say, this is a big job; it's about me, but it's not about me."
How have you grown as an NFL coach and how will that help you be a head coach?
"If you're a coordinator in the NFL, it's very similar to being a head coach. You're out in front of the media constantly, you're out in front of a particular group constantly. It was a good training ground. The NFL is obviously the highest ground of football and I feel fortunate to not only have coached in it, but call plays in a number of organizations. But I know football is football and the bottom line is to get in there and get it done where you're at; and I intend to do that at Colorado State."
What was Sonny's reaction when you told him you were going to take the job?
"He was very happy for me. He and I talk all the time. I just have more respect for him than about anybody I've worked for in the profession. It seems like, every time we talk, he makes me feel good, number one, and I hang up the phone and I feel like I've learned something. I'll continue to use him as a mentor and friend as long as he'll answer my phone calls."
Is it intimidating trying to fill Sonny Lubick's shoes?
"To some degree it is. But you know, that's a good thing; if you don't ever raise the bar, you're just going through the motion. This is an opportunity for me and it's a big one. I look forward to it, it's a big challenge, but I think that's how you live your life."
What will it take to get the program back to where it was, back when you were here?
"It's going to take good character people, hard work and discipline. You set your plan, in all phases of your program, and you don't flinch. You keep pounding and eventually good things happen."
Are you OK with stretch goals of competing annually for conference championships and being in the mix for BCS considerations, and are they realistic?
"Yes and yes. I've been there for a stretch when I was coaching and we won five out of seven conference championships and went to five bowls in seven years. You can compete year-in, year-out there, there's no question. Boise State set the bar for schools flirting with and getting into the BCS, so it can be done. It's been done at CSU as far as competing year-in, year-out for the Mountain West championship and that would definitely be a goal of ours."
Do you have a timetable for when you'd like to have your staff assembled?
"No specific date. I'm going to keep working on it. I'm not in a huge hurry. I'm more concerned with getting the right people on board. So, we'll see how it falls."
Are you excited to get involved in recruiting again?
"You know, I am. I always enjoyed recruiting. I always thought it was a fun aspect of the job to get out and meet new people, to stay young and connect with student-athletes that age. I'm looking forward to it. One of the keys to recruiting is, it's hard work and it's getting out there and having a good plan with where you go and how you spend your time. I think one of the key things with recruiting is evaluation. When you can get guys who can evaluate players and make the right decisions in that regard, that tends to lead to good recruiting classes. "
Will you have to talk to current players to make sure everybody is on board?
"I am in the process of running down some players and certainly I'm going to try to get a lot of them, but with my current situation here, I'm going to do my best in that regard. We're going to have a team meeting when I get out there and we'll spell out exactly what we want to get done and we'll move forward. It's a special place to go to school and it's a special place to play football. We're all fortunate to be involved in it; I'm not sure you have to sell people too much, they know the situation."
How important was it that improvements were made, in terms of facilities, since you were here?
"I am very impressed with Dr. Penley and Paul Kowalczyk in the support that they are providing and the vision they have for the athletic department and the football program. As we move forward, it's going to get nothing but better."
When was the last time you were here?
"That' s a good question. It's gotta be the year 2000, 2001. It's been quite a while. You know my wife's from Greeley and she's got family in town there, but for whatever reason, we just haven't made it back lately."
We assume your daughter is going to finish her senior year?
"Yeah. I've got a daughter, Jill, who's a senior at Orchard Park (N.Y.) High School and I'm trying to recruit her to CSU as well. But she's going to finish up. She's involved in a basketball season right now. It's just the right thing to do to leave her in place."
Why do you think you are a good candidate to be a Division I head coach?
"I think all my background as an assistant has been pointed in that direction. Regarding this job, I've got a passion for Colorado State and a love for the university and the athletic department, that I think is unmatched, and a real excitement for the job. Everybody has to get their first head coaching job sometime and I'm fortunate to have mine and I'm going to make the most of it."
PAUL KOWALCZYK Q&A
When did you first contact Steve?
"I think it was toward the end of last week."
What took so long to make the offer?
"The NFL schedule. I had to wait to go visit with Steve and I had to wait as they go through their routine. I had to be respectful of that."
Did you go to Orchard Park, N.Y.?
"Yeah, it was last Friday. So, actually, I offered him...I visited with him, took a few days, then called him back earlier this week. That's when it was. I think it was Monday. It's been a blur."
Was Steve on your original list of candidates?
"He was definitely on the list, front and center in so many ways. The guy has tremendous background, all the connections with CSU, having had that success. He was right at the top, no doubt about that."
How important was his connection to CSU in your decision?
"It's not the ultimate decider. I wanted the best person for the job. I didn't care who that was, but I'm not certainly unaware of that connection and the importance of it. If you look at what a lot of the programs are doing and have done historically, whether it's Notre Dame with Charlie Weis or Washington State who just hired Paul Wulff, Air Force bringing back Troy Calhoun, I think the connection with your university and the culture is important. If you have a guy who has that and also has his qualifications, it's pretty easy to take a good hard look."
Do you see similarities between Sonny Lubick and Steve Fairchild?
"There are certainly some similarities. They both come from the same school in a lot of ways, but there are also some differences. Steve's very much a straight-arrow, very black-and-white guy. I think he's an old-school guy to the nth degree, and I like that, I respect that. That's the conditions I played under. I think those are qualities he'll bring to the table that we need in the program right now. He's definitely the right guy for the job."
How much input did you take from Sonny Lubick in your evaluation?
"One of the first calls I made was to Sonny. On Thursday, after the press conference, I asked him about his former assistants and when I made the decision earlier this week, I called Sonny and let him know as well where I was headed with things and he was quite pleased."
Can you explain the salary package?
"Why did I know you were going to ask that? He will be paid $700,000. Half of that is guaranteed, $350 (thousand), the other $350 (thousand) will be media, personal appearances, etc.; it's a five-year deal. There are plenty of incentives and bonuses in there as well...Conference, Coach of the Year, BCS bowl, non-BCS bowl, it's a variety of information, over and above the $700,000."
"The incentives are to get us where I expect us to be. I want to be paying this money out."
Are the assistants getting pay raises?
"Yes, the assistants pool is larger as well...The assistants pool is $300,000 larger than what it previously was."
Where is this money coming from?
"Well, Natalie (Meisler, Denver Post), we were hoping to take it from your gambling winnings. I'm not sure where we're going with that, but...just a thought. As always, we'll figure that out. It's my job to make that work."
Did you have a face-to-face interview with any other candidates?
"Everything else was phone conversations. I had what I thought were three top candidates that I talked to. Obviously, I won't reveal who they are, but I had three serious conversations."
Did you offer the position to anyone else?
"No."
How much interest did you draw?
"The interest was tremendous, I can't remember what the numbers were. We had a lot of coordinators, we had some head coaches, former head coaches; it was really a tremendous pool. I was excited about that, but I also knew this was a good job. It's a great place. The potential is unlimited here. That's part of why we have the bar raised as high as we do. The potential needs to be reached and that's the plan and I think Steve is the right guy at the right time. He's got those qualifications, the right connections, he knows what it takes. We're not making excuses for ourselves anymore."
Where does Sonny stand with the university? Have you heard back from him regarding a decision?
"No, I haven't. Again, I've been in contact with Sonny, Steve's been in contact with Sonny, and Sonny knows he's welcome here any time. Not just Steve, but Larry too, and having Marc (Lubick) back on staff, I think that decision is easy for Sonny to make, but I'll let him make that. That's important to us as an institution, he's out biggest asset. He'll be welcome with open arms when he makes that call. And, if he decides to retire to Boca Raton or something, then God bless him there, too, but he's always a Ram."
On whether he's had a chance to have the beer with Lubick, to which he alluded Nov. 27:
"No, I haven't had beer with anybody yet, but God knows I need one."
How long is the contract?
"It's a five-year deal."
What are your expectations for Steve, starting next year?
"I'm not gonna put any wins and losses out on the table, I just want to see improvement over time. Sometimes people come in and have an immediate impact, sometimes it doesn't work quite that way; in that regard, that's not an issue. He has a five-year deal, we want to get better each year, and see success. Sometimes that's not always obvious to the public. Obviously we know more of what's going on internally than most people would understand. We just want to see him get in, get his feet firmly planted and get the program moving in the proper direction and we'll see where the results play out over time."
Having never met him, what was it that struck you about him?
"I like the fact that he's an old-school, straight-arrowed, black-and-white, no-nonsense kind of guy. That plays into my school of thought, in what I think is important in our program right now. He's a solid guy, the character, the values, those are always the things I always start with when I'm searching for a coach for any sport. I've said it before, and I mean it with all my heart, if we've got to cheat to win, then I don't want to do it. There's no honor in that and it devalues whatever it is you're accomplishing. We've got a guy who represents all those wonderful qualities that you want in a head coach and his experience speaks for itself."
What has been the community reaction so far?
"Extremely positive. I haven't quite gone from the outhouse to the penthouse yet, but the reaction has been favorable."
When will Larry Kerr arrive?
"Larry will be here next week. We're excited to have him on board."
