Cal Poly football coach resigns abruptly after 3 years. Here’s where he’s headed

Joe Tarica
·2 min read
8
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

Beau Baldwin has resigned as Cal Poly’s head football coach after just three years to reportedly take a job as an assistant coach at Arizona State, Cal Poly announced Friday night.

Mustang director of athletics Don Oberhelman confirmed the resignation Friday afternoon. A news release said a search for Baldwin’s successor will begin immediately.

“Beau was great for Cal Poly and the young men in our program,” Oberhleman said. “As sad as I am to (see) him leave, I’m confident we are in a great position to continue to build. With the John Madden Center coming online, and the greater investments being made, this is an incredibly attractive position.”

Baldwin, who served as the offensive coordinator at Cal from 2017-19 after a storied tenure heading the program at Eastern Washington, is expected to return to the Pac-12 as the offensive coordinator for the Sun Devils under new head coach Kenny Dillingham.

Baldwin joined Cal Poly just three months before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down athletics at colleges nationwide. The Mustangs were 4-21 under his leadership, beginning with an abbreviated six-game spring schedule in 2021.

Cal Poly head football coach Beau Baldwin wraps up a practice in March 2021.
Cal Poly head football coach Beau Baldwin wraps up a practice in March 2021.

After several players were injured, Cal Poly canceled the second half of the spring season, “in the interest of the health and wellness of our student-athletes,” Baldwin said at the time, according to the news release.

In the two ensuing full seasons, Baldwin put up identical 2-9 records, going 1-7 in the Big Sky conference both times as well.

Cal Poly finished 11th in conference 2021 and 12th, in last place, in 2022.

Before becoming a head coach, first for Central Washington in 2007 and then for Eastern Washington from 2008-16, Baldwin spent 13 seasons as an assistant beginning with nine years as the quarterbacks coach at Central Washington (1994-2002) before four campaigns as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Eastern Washington (2003-06). He is a 1996 graduate of Central Washington.

At Eastern Washington, he led the Eagles to a national championship in 2010.

Cal Poly officially announced Beau Baldwin as its new head football coach on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2019. Baldwin holds up a Cal Poly jersey with President Jeffrey Armstrong, left, and Athletic Director Don Oberhelman.
Cal Poly officially announced Beau Baldwin as its new head football coach on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2019. Baldwin holds up a Cal Poly jersey with President Jeffrey Armstrong, left, and Athletic Director Don Oberhelman.