January 10, 2008 in Sports

Baldwin’s staff forms

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There are still some contract details to work out, but new Eastern Washington University head football coach Beau Baldwin is within a hire or two of assembling his staff of assistant coaches.

Baldwin, who was named last week to replace Paul Wulff, will bring at least three assistants – including defensive coordinator John Graham – with him from Central Washington University, where he led the Wildcats to a 10-3 record and into the third round of the NCAA Division II playoffs in his only season as a college head coach last fall.

In addition, Baldwin said he will retain four members of Wulff’s former staff, including longtime Eagles assistant Joe Wade, who will be promoted to offensive coordinator after coaching wide receivers last season.

Other EWU assistants who will be retained include Jeff Schmedding, who will coach linebackers under Baldwin; Chris Peterson, who will coach wide receivers; and Chris Hansen, who will coach tight ends. Aaron Best, a former Eagles player and past member of Wulff’s staff, will return to Cheney to coach EWU’s offensive line after serving as an offensive line specialist for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League last year.

Also joining the Eagles staff from CWU are defensive backs coach Torey Hunter and defensive line coach Ryan Sawyer. Baldwin said there is a good chance Nat Conley will also make the move from Central to coach running backs at Eastern.

Graham, Wade, Best, Schmedding, Hunter and Sawyer will be Baldwin’s six full-time assistants. The others will serve as part-time coaches.

“I’m very pleased with the staff I’ve been able to put together,” said Baldwin, who spent four seasons as the Eagles’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach before taking over at Central last year.

Baldwin said he will stay on campus the rest of the week finalizing details of his new coaching hires, but plans to have recruits in for visits this weekend.

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