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Las Vegas • Colorado State coordinator Dave Baldwin called the plays for an offense that registered nearly 500 yards per game.
He helped groom quarterback Garrett Grayson into a projected NFL Draft selection.
He went 10-2.
And his reward for that, when head coach Jim McElwain left to become the new head coach at Florida?
Limbo.
Baldwin told The Tribune by phone Monday that he knew about a month ago that if McElwain departed, there was a strong likelihood he'd be named interim head coach. But as much as that's an honor, it's a burden.
This is the job description: Work two jobs while your employer actively searches for your replacement.
Baldwin, 59, served as offensive coordinator at Utah State for three seasons before accepting the coordinator role at CSU (his son, Ryan, still works for USU's business school). He began his career as a disciple of spread offense guru Jack Elway, following him from Cal State Northridge to San Jose State (where he worked for Utah running backs coach Dennis Erickson) and Stanford, and later returned as a head coach at Northridge (1996) and SJSU (1997-2000).
So this isn't his first rodeo. But it's different with the "interim" tag.
"You've got your own thoughts and processes, and you're not going to implement them, if you're smart," he said.
Not only is he doing all the administrative work that comes with being the head man (like talking to an out-of-town reporter as he scrambled to make last-minute travel preparations), he's still the offensive coordinator. He's recruiting, and he's being recruited.
"It's a lot on his plate, obviously," said Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham, who said Baldwin is characterized by his creativity and his imagination as an offensive play-caller. "But he's been a head coach. He knows the drill. It's nothing new to him."
Baldwin hadn't spoken to McElwain for a week and didn't think he'd attend the bowl game.
He's not the only candidate on CSU's staff. The Coloradoan reports that, like co-defensive coordinator Marty English, he has vowed that if he gets the job, he'll retain as many of the Rams' current assistants as possible.
He feels for his co-workers, too.
Said Baldwin: "It's tough to go home to your family, especially if you've got young kids that are in elementary school, and they're like, 'Daddy, I don't want to move. You're 10-2!' "
Grayson, a senior, remembers when Baldwin pulled him aside after struggles last season against Colorado and Tulsa — "probably the worst game I've had in my whole career." He hadn't eaten for two days, and Baldwin helped him get his confidence back.
"He obviously wants me to be successful on the football field, but he cares about you a lot as a person, too," Grayson said.
When McElwain left, Grayson walked into the office of Colorado State president Tony Frank and urged him to retain Baldwin and the rest of the Rams staff.
Their success wasn't due to just one guy, he told Frank.
But the odds aren't in Baldwin's favor.
Baldwin said he doesn't view the Las Vegas Bowl as a job interview, considering it's one game in a 35-year career. And he's probably right. Going 6-2 at USC didn't save Ed Orgeron last season. Going 2-1 after replacing Dan Hawkins at Colorado didn't save Brian Cabral in 2010. And so on.
Win or lose against Utah, Baldwin can say he's a Broyles Award nominee as one of the nation's best assistant coaches. He knows the players, and he knows what's worked.
And he loves Fort Collins.
Sounding wistful, he described the Christmas lights in the trees downtown.
"It may sound corny, but it looks like 'It's a Wonderful Life.' "
Twitter: @matthew_piper —
Las Vegas Bowl
P Utah vs. Colorado St.
Sam Boyd Stadium Saturday, 1:30 p.m.
TV • Ch. 4