Colorado State Signs Jim McElwain to Contact Extension Through 2018

Oct 19, 2013; Laramie, WY, USA; Colorado State Rams head coach Jim McElwain before the game against the Wyoming Cowboys at War Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Babbitt-USA TODAY Sports

Jim McElwain signed a contract extension to remain at Colorado State University through 2018. The news comes on the heels of the stunning news on Friday when Athletic Director, Jack Graham was fired. School President, Tony Frank would not go into details of the firing and there remains a lot of confusion.

The surprising dismissal of Graham also led to a great deal of uncertainly in Fort Collins, and it’s still a dicey situation. However, the extension for McElwain should ease a lot of the concerns as it relates to the football program.

Usually extensions for college football coaches aren’t worth the paper their printed on. Coaches walk away from contacts all the time and never face any consequences. What makes the McElwain situation different is the 7.5 million dollar buyout that the coach must pay to CSU if he decides to leave for another job.

Now most coaches have some sort of buyout like that but it still represents a huge commitment from McElwain. I really expected him to entertain offers at the end of the 2014 season provided the Rams are successful. While I’d still be surprised if McElwain was still at CSU in 2018, the final year of the deal, I’d be even more surprised if he left after this coming year.

It’s now fair for Rams’ fans to expect McElwain to be at Colorado State for at least three more seasons, and that should have everyone excited.

When McElwain came to Fort Collins from Alabama, the Rams were at their lowest point in years. The glory days of Sonny Lubick were long gone and the bitter taste of Steve Fairchild was still in everyone’s mouth. On the field, there was very little talent and no reason to think a turnaround was on the horizon.

Somehow, Graham talked McElwain into taking the job and the program has been on the upswing ever since. The Rams started slow in 2012 but if you watched closely, you could see progress. They won three of their last four in 2012. Then in 2013, McElwain led the Rams to their first bowl game in years concluding with an amazing fourth quarter comeback to beat a good Washington State team in the New Mexico Bowl.

The 2014 season is now here and the optimism at CSU is as high as it’s been in years. A Mountain West Championship is probably still a year or two away but it’s coming, and it’s because of McElwain. Keep in mind that he is still winning with a majority of players that he did not recruit. This will be the first season where some of his recruits should contribute on the field.

McElwain knows that Colorado State is not Alabama but he also knows that the culture of winning works anywhere. He expects his football program to get the best players, to practice better than anyone and to beat anyone they play on the field. Those values were never more evident than they were in a road loss to Alabama in 2013. Yes the Rams lost but they were in the game well into the second half, and never looked overmatched.

The news of the McElawin extension is big and it should be celebrated. The Denver Broncos are in the midst of training camp and the Colorado Rockies are a train wreck, but neither of those should over shadow the McElwain decision to stay in Fort Collins for the foreseeable future.

It remains to be seen if McElwain can match the sustained success of Lubick but this much is true, he’s here to stay for awhile.