Mike Bobo, Colorado State Agree To Mutual Separation. 5 Possible Coaching Candidates

Mike Bobo will be leaving the Colorado State head coaching job. What coaching candidates are possible?

Colorado State is an interesting coaching opportunity
It’s a program that expects to be in the Mountain West title chase every year, and has the ability to do it.

Mike Bobo had an okay run as the Colorado State head coach, but the production slipped over the last few seasons, the good offenses weren’t enough, and it became a second straight season without a bowl game.

Bobo suffered from being pretty good, but not able to take things up a few notches.

He went 7-5 in each of his first three seasons – losing all three bowl games – but health issues, a rebuilding job needing to be done last year, and a lack of a steady defense led to just seven wins over the last two seasons.

Bobo is just 45, has a good offensive coaching mind as the former Georgia offensive coordinator, and he’ll get another gig fast, most likely as a high-level assistant.

Who might be the right fit to take over the job? Again, it’s an attractive opening as a launching pad to something bigger, but it could also be a destination or an older, more seasoned head man.

Total speculation, five Colorado State coaching candidates who’ll at least need to get a look.

5. Jim McElwain, Central Michigan head coach
Nah. He built the Rams up in his three-year run with a 10-2 2014 season that became parlayed into the Florida job. After taking Central Michigan to the MAC Championship, he’s more in line or a mid-level Power Five job.

4. Jeff Choate, Montana State head coach
He knows the Mountain West-caliber terrain as a former Boise State assistant who worked his way up the ranks into the Montana State job. His teams run the ball and get into the backfield on a regular basis, but he’s not the man if the Rams want to crank up the passing game.

3. Billy Gonzales, Florida offensive coordinator
There might be some concern that the Mike Bobo experience didn’t work out so hot the last time the program went after a strong SEC offensive coordinator, but Gonzales is rising-star and former Ram who’d please the base.

2. Jay Hill, Weber State head coach
He’s destined for the Utah head coaching gig if that ever becomes open but the 44-year-old is more than ready for a next-step-up job after taking Weber State to three straight Big Sky Championships and FCS playoff runs. Tough defense, good running game, no turnovers, ball control – his style works.

1. Eliah Drinkwitz, Appalachian State head coach
He’d be a rental, but he’d worth it. The 36-year-old took over what Scott Satterfield had done and guided Appalachian State to a monster season. The former Boise State offensive coordinator is only 36 and might need a wee bit more seasoning before the Power Five comes calling, but the Colorado State job would be a great fit for both sides over the next three years or so as he rises up the ladder.

SOURCE: Fiutak, Pete. "Mike Bobo, Colorado State Agree To Mutual Separation. 5 Possible Coaching Candidates."  College Football News, 4 December 2019, https://collegefootballnews.com/2019/12/mike-bobo-colorado-state-agree-to-mutual-separation