Colorado State University Athletics
Parker Has Blueprint for Next CSU Football Coach
12/4/2019 4:00:00 PM | Football
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Steadfast in the belief Colorado State should be the crown jewel of Mountain West athletics, athletic director Joe Parker understands the football program has to play a prominent role.
The person who can lead the Rams in that direction will become the 23rd head football coach in program history.
"I want to find someone who is the absolute best person for this opportunity at this moment," Parker said.
Colorado State made a change at the top earlier Wednesday as it was announced a mutual agreement had been reached with former coach Mike Bobo, bringing to a close his five-year tenure. Bobo spoke with the players at Canvas Stadium in the afternoon.
The university will not use a national search firm, with Parker relying on a tight circle of "advisors who understand the football space better than anyone in the nation," some he said have volunteered their time because of their passion for the university and want to see it succeed. There is no hard deadline for a decision, but Parker is cognizant of the Dec. 18 signing date.
He and the group have formed central ideas for the resume of candidates, but will not draw hard lines.
"I think for us to be successful, we have to focus on someone who's experienced at the right level," Parker said. "I'm not going to limit that to a head coach, but I really feel that's the ideal profile; someone who has been a head coach at the Division I level and has seen success. I think we want someone who really understands and values creating a culture in which winning, competition and everything you need to do on a daily basis is where the attention is directed.
"I want someone who really understands the values of our institution. We try to be very balanced in our approach to academics and athletics. I want someone who really understands the extraordinary value of this entire community."
The past two coaches Colorado State has hired – searches which took place before Parker's arrival in January of 2015 -- have led to highly regarded offensive coordinators out of the SEC. While it is not a sticking point, Parker does value a candidate with ties to this part of the country.
He is also not bound to the theory the ideal candidate has a background with the university, rather one who will become fully vested with the ideals of Colorado State and the athletic department, a leader who embraces the principle at CSU where it is student-athletes first and foremost.
"I don't want to speak in absolutes, because that just limits you too much," he said. "I do like someone who perhaps has been a little more focused on the central United States for part of their career. I think the Midwest, Southwest, places which are connected into Colorado make a lot of sense in my mind, where at some point of their career this was part of their geographic center, but it's not an absolute."
With the three-year old Canvas Stadium serving as a major drawing point, as well as the city of Fort Collins being regularly listed as one of the best places to live in America, Parker has already received interest from quality candidates.
He called it a competitive marketplace, with his group already having identified quality candidates.
Colorado State is coming off a 4-8 season, but it will return three players who were named first-team All-Mountain West earlier in the day. All the passing yards from 2019 are set to return, 93.8 percent of the receiving yardage, 57 percent of the ground game and 69.1 percent of the scoring. Defensively, the Rams retain 56.9 percent of the tackles, 61.7 percent of tackles for loss, 60.3 percent of sacks and 66.7 percent of the interceptions.
It equates to 72 percent of the games started for 2020, and sophomores and freshmen accounted for 100 of the 264 starts in 2019.
The person who can lead the Rams in that direction will become the 23rd head football coach in program history.
"I want to find someone who is the absolute best person for this opportunity at this moment," Parker said.
Colorado State made a change at the top earlier Wednesday as it was announced a mutual agreement had been reached with former coach Mike Bobo, bringing to a close his five-year tenure. Bobo spoke with the players at Canvas Stadium in the afternoon.
The university will not use a national search firm, with Parker relying on a tight circle of "advisors who understand the football space better than anyone in the nation," some he said have volunteered their time because of their passion for the university and want to see it succeed. There is no hard deadline for a decision, but Parker is cognizant of the Dec. 18 signing date.
He and the group have formed central ideas for the resume of candidates, but will not draw hard lines.
"I think for us to be successful, we have to focus on someone who's experienced at the right level," Parker said. "I'm not going to limit that to a head coach, but I really feel that's the ideal profile; someone who has been a head coach at the Division I level and has seen success. I think we want someone who really understands and values creating a culture in which winning, competition and everything you need to do on a daily basis is where the attention is directed.
"I want someone who really understands the values of our institution. We try to be very balanced in our approach to academics and athletics. I want someone who really understands the extraordinary value of this entire community."
The past two coaches Colorado State has hired – searches which took place before Parker's arrival in January of 2015 -- have led to highly regarded offensive coordinators out of the SEC. While it is not a sticking point, Parker does value a candidate with ties to this part of the country.
He is also not bound to the theory the ideal candidate has a background with the university, rather one who will become fully vested with the ideals of Colorado State and the athletic department, a leader who embraces the principle at CSU where it is student-athletes first and foremost.
"I don't want to speak in absolutes, because that just limits you too much," he said. "I do like someone who perhaps has been a little more focused on the central United States for part of their career. I think the Midwest, Southwest, places which are connected into Colorado make a lot of sense in my mind, where at some point of their career this was part of their geographic center, but it's not an absolute."
With the three-year old Canvas Stadium serving as a major drawing point, as well as the city of Fort Collins being regularly listed as one of the best places to live in America, Parker has already received interest from quality candidates.
He called it a competitive marketplace, with his group already having identified quality candidates.
Colorado State is coming off a 4-8 season, but it will return three players who were named first-team All-Mountain West earlier in the day. All the passing yards from 2019 are set to return, 93.8 percent of the receiving yardage, 57 percent of the ground game and 69.1 percent of the scoring. Defensively, the Rams retain 56.9 percent of the tackles, 61.7 percent of tackles for loss, 60.3 percent of sacks and 66.7 percent of the interceptions.
It equates to 72 percent of the games started for 2020, and sophomores and freshmen accounted for 100 of the 264 starts in 2019.
Colorado State Football: Jay Norvell Weekly Press Conference - Week 3 (2025)
Monday, September 15
Colorado State Athletics: Football Bye Week Update
Wednesday, September 10
Colorado State Football: Ellis (L) and Rogers (R) Postgame (Northern Colorado, 2025)
Saturday, September 06
Colorado State Football: Avant (L) and Fowler-Nicolosi (R) Postgame (Northern Colorado, 2025)
Saturday, September 06