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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

EWU finalizing new deal for football coach Beau Baldwin

Eastern Washington coach Beau Baldwin will receive a new contract extension, according to athletic director Bill Chaves. (Colin Mulvany / The Spokesman-Review)

Eastern Washington football coach Beau Baldwin didn’t get the head coaching job at Nevada earlier this week, but he is getting plenty of love from the Eagles.

Athletics director Bill Chaves said details are being finalized with EWU President Dr. Mary Cullinan for a new five-year agreement with Baldwin.

“There is no doubt that coach Baldwin is one of the very best coaches ever in the Big Sky Conference and we are excited to be working out details with him,” said Chaves in a released statement.

Baldwin, in his ninth year as the head coach in Cheney, has a 58-14 Big Sky record for a winning percentage of .806 to rank as the fifth-best in league history. His .730 winning percentage overall (84-31) is seventh all-time in the 53-year history of the Big Sky.

“I appreciate the continuous support from Dr. Cullinan and our athletic administration towards the support of our program,” said Baldwin, whose team is preparing to play Richmond Saturday at Roos Field in Cheney in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. “We look forward to even greater things in the future.”

The Eagles have won 40 of their last 46 Big Sky games since a 0-2 start in 2011. Eastern has won 30 of its last 34 league games, with the lone losses coming against Montana and Portland State in 2015 and Northern Arizona in both 2015 and 2014. Including non-conference victories (two versus MSU and one against Cal Poly) and a playoff win (Montana), the Eagles have won 34 of their last 38 versus conference foes, and are 44-6 since the 0-2 start in 2011.

This is the sixth time Baldwin has taken the Eagles to the playoffs as head coach, plus two more as offensive coordinator (2004-05). He has coached in a total of 27 postseason playoff games (12 appearances) with a record of 17-9-1, including eight appearances in the FCS Playoffs and two at both the NCAA Division II and NAIA levels when he was at Central Washington.

Baldwin interviewed for the Nevada job, which would have paid more than double of what his is making in Cheney. The Wolf Pack selected Arizona State assistant Jay Norvell.

Baldwin declined to comment on the subject, including the rumor that he had been offered the position and turned it down.

“No rear-view mirrors,” Baldwin said Thursday when asked about the Nevada job.