Lauren RabainoThe nationwide search for Rich Ellerson’s replacement needed to look no further than the former Cal Poly football coach’s future destination.
Flanked by athletic director Alison Cone and Cal Poly President Warren Baker, former Army offensive coordinator Tim Walsh was named Cal Poly’s 16th head coach on Friday.
Selecting Walsh from a pool of 10 finalists interviewed over the last week, Cone and her hiring committee had specific qualities in mind when looking for a new head coach.
“We were looking for a knowledgeable football coach who is a leader and knows how to get a group of young men to work toward a common goal and to win football games,” Cone explained of the committee’s decision. “We were also looking for a quality individual who will help young men maximize their potential and become great men; academic students as well as great football players.”
Walsh brings 18 years of head coaching experience to the Mustangs, including 14 years at Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) program Portland State. He said that the challenges of coaching a Cal Poly team that finished this season with the nation’s top offense but will be attempting to reload after losing many starters is part of why he chose to apply for the job.
“Rich has created some challenges here in his uniqueness in what he does offensively and defensively,” Walsh added. “But to me, that’s part of being a football coach.”
Walsh said that he would like to keep the Mustangs’ unusual triple option offense intact while adding a few variations, but that he was not committed to Ellerson’s flex defense.
Differences in the team’s new defensive philosophy also meant changes in the assistant coaching ranks.
Former defensive coordinator Payam Saadat, who was widely thought of as one of the finalists for the head coaching job, joined former offensive coordinator Ian Shields, offensive line coaches Gene McKeehan and Bill Tripp and assistant coach Andy Guyader as members of Ellerson’s initial Army staff.
“It’s real important that you hire a good staff that understands that recruiting in college football is extremely important,” Walsh said.
January is where most college football recruiting takes place. National Letter of Intent signing day is Feb. 4.
Walsh compiled a 117-82 record in his 18 seasons as a collegiate head coach. He guided Portland State’s transition from the Division II ranks to the FCS level. The experience of guiding such a transition was a key point in the hiring process, Cone said.
Speculation that Cal Poly hopes to play at the Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) level in the future has been prevalent since Fresno State head coach Pat Hill said that he thinks the Mustangs will be among several teams invited to join the Western Athletic Conference.
The WAC plays football at the FBS level.
“We have aspirations for the football program and everything we do at the university,” Baker said. “Tim has had experience in moving and developing programs. That experience was very important to us.”
Baker would not comment on a possible move to the FBS but added that the Great West Conference in which Cal Poly plays was “unstable” and that the Mustangs “do not think it is a permanent home.”