Multiple sources have reported that Cal Poly’s new head football coach will be Cal Offensive Coordinator Beau Baldwin.
This was first reported by Football Scoop and later confirmed by ESPN reporter Kyle Bonagura. Cal Poly announced former head coach Tim Walsh’s retirement on Monday, Nov. 25.
Confirmed: Cal OC Beau Baldwin will be the new head coach at Cal Poly, according to an athletic department source at CP.
— Kyle Bonagura (@BonaguraESPN) December 10, 2019
Baldwin will be returning to FCS and to the Big Sky Conference, where he made a name for himself as the leader of a dominant Eastern Washington program from 2008-2016. With the Eagles, Baldwin had a 85-32 record and earned six Big Sky Conference titles, four FCS Playoff semi-final appearances and an FCS national championship in 2010. He also earned back-to-back Big Sky Coach of the Year awards in 2012 and 2013.
Baldwin also guided Eastern Washington to a win over No. 25 ranked Oregon State. There were only two other times an FCS team beat a ranked FBS team.
Baldwin was named Cal’s offensive coordinator in 2017. Cal’s record through his three seasons there was 19-18. In 2018, the Bears finished 116th out of 130 FBS teams in points per game with 21.5.
During that time, the Cal offense struggled to put up more than 30 points for most of last season and was shut out 35-0 by Utah for the first time in 20 years.
Baldwin played quarterback for Central Washington, a Division II program, from 1990-1993. He set single game records for pass attempts (52), completions (32), yards (467) and total yards (550). Baldwin remained at Central Washington to start his coaching career.
After that, Baldwin got his first experience with Eastern Washington, serving as the quarterback coach and offensive coordinator from 2003-2006. He then returned to Central Washington as head coach for the 2007 season.
Baldwin’s Wildcats went 10-3 and quarterback Mike Reilly won the Harlon Hill Trophy, given to the top Division II player in the nation. That season, Central Washington’s offense put up 398.5 yards per game, averaged 263.5 passing yards and 31.4 points per game. Baldwin was named Eastern Washington’s head coach the following year.
Cal Poly will play Cal on Sept. 2, 2020. The Mustangs finished the 2019 season with a 3-8 overall record and 2-6 in Big Sky Conference play. It was Cal Poly’s third straight losing season, with a 9-24 record through 2017-2019.
Baldwin is expected to be introduced in a press conference Wednesday, Dec. 11 at 5 p.m. inside the Recreation Center’s Multi-Activity Center. The event is open to the public and will be live streamed by Cal Poly Athletics.