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10 Things To Know About Dave Baldwin, The CSU Rams' Interim Head Coach

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (CBS4) - After Jim McElwain stepped down Thursday as head football coach of the CSU Rams, the school's interim athletic director called the head coaching gig at CSU a "dream job."

And for now, that dream job belongs to Dave Baldwin.

Dave Baldwin
Dave Baldwin on Thursday (credit: CBS)

WATCH NEWS CONFERENCE: Dave Baldwin Announced As CSU Rams Interim Football Head Coach

The Rams announced Thursday that Baldwin, the team's offensive coordinator, will assume head coaching duties on an interim basis.

Baldwin, aside from coaching in Colorado, has strong ties to the state and some of its notable residents. Here are those tidbits, alongside key facts and milestones and in Baldwin's life:

1. Baldwin Was Born Here Baldwin, 59, was born in Denver in 1955. He and his wife, Kathleen, have three children.

2.Baldwin And Elway Went To Same High School Baldwin preceded John Elway at Granada Hills High School in California in the early 1970s. He also cut his coaching teeth as an assistant at the school in 1978.

3. Baldwin And Elway's Father Coached Together He served as the wide receivers coach under Elway's father, Jack, for the Stanford Cardinal from 1985-88. He also was a graduate assistant at Cal State Northridge shortly after Elway left coaching there.

4. He's Got Ties To McCaffrey, Too Baldwin coached future Denver Broncos wide receiver Ed McCaffrey at Stanford.

5. He Has Been A Head Coach Before Following a four-year head coaching stint at San Jose State, where he compiled an 18-27 record, he spent 13 seasons an offensive coordinator for six programs, including CSU.

6. Baldwin Was Part Of A Record Breaking Day In The Big Ten Conference While Michigan State's offensive coordinator in 2006, he led the Spartans' offense to 38 unanswered points in a 41-38 comeback win over Northwestern -- the largest in NCAA history.

7. His Coaching As Assistant Has Gotten Noticed Nationally He was a 2013 nominee for the Broyles Award, which is bestowed on college football's assistant coach of the year.

Dave Baldwin
Dave Baldwin (credit: CSURams.com)

8. His Offense This Year Featured Strong Quarterback Play Under Baldwin's watch in 2014, the Rams' offense featured quarterback Garrett Grayson, who was named the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year and is one of 17 Heisman Trophy finalists.

9. He Had A Really Good Wideout, Too His Offensive System This Year Was A Powerful One Equally impressive, he also coached wide receiver Rashard Higgins, considered one of the best wideouts in college football and one of three finalists for the Biletnikoff Award.

10. He Has Been A Head Coach For More Than 50 College Games Baldwin's overall head coaching record in college is 27-39.

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