With OSU’s coaching search already beginning, it’s time to take a look at who I think will be the best fit to lead the Beavers in 2018 and beyond.
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1. Beau Baldwin (Cal OC)
Let’s start with Baldwin who earns the No. 1 spot on my coveted list. Baldwin checks all of the boxes when it comes to an up and coming head coach. Offensively diverse? Check. Energetic? Check. Great recruiter? Check. Ability to recruit to a remote area? Check? Ability to put players in the NFL? Check. Baldwin’s ability to build a powerhouse at Eastern Washington nearly landed him the OSU job prior to Gary Andersen as he was reportedly OSU’s second choice to GA. Since then, Baldwin has refined his craft even more, as he put Cooper Kupp in the NFL draft and since has become the offensive coordinator at Cal.
If Baldwin can recruit to Cheney, Washington, he absolutely can do so to Corvallis. Him being No. 1 on my list also comes with a caveat. He absolutely has to bring in Gage Gubrud as a grad-transfer for the 2018 season. Baldwin was Gubrud’s head coach for three seasons and knows what he can do. Based on what we all saw against Colorado last Saturday, the Beavers have talent. It’s not unreasonable to think that with the right QB and a better defensive coordinator that the Beavers can find their way to a bowl game in year one under their new head coach.
2. Scott Frost (UCF HC)
Frost earns the nod of No. 2 here based on his ability to recruit and turn around a program in a very short amount of time. During his time at Oregon, he was largely credited for putting Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Marcus Mariota in the best position possible. It’s that offensive creativity and savvy schemes that landed Frost the UCF job where he turned a 0-12 team into a 6-7 team in his first season. This year he has the Knights sitting at 5-0 with marquee wins over Memphis (who beat UCLA) and Maryland (who beat Minnesota). Like Baldwin, Frost was also rumored to be in the mix for the OSU head job before Andersen and perhaps Frost wants to make a return to the pacific northwest.
