Report: Arizona State offensive coordinator Beau Baldwin not returning
Nov 29, 2023, 7:40 AM | Updated: 8:11 am
Arizona State offensive coordinator Beau Baldwin will not return to the Sun Devils’ football program in 2024 after a one-year stint under head coach Kenny Dillingham, reports ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
The writing had been on the wall after Dillingham, a former OC himself, took over play-calling duties following the Sun Devils’ third game of the year, a 29-0 loss to Fresno State. Dillingham is searching for a new offensive coordinator to call plays for next season, SunDevilSource.com’s Chris Karpman adds.
Dillingham and Arizona State had worked on contract extensions for other assistants in the middle of the 2023 season, getting a new deal done with defensive coordinator Brian Ward that lasts through 2026.
ASU had struggled through three games, scoring no points in the second halves of a win against Southern Utah to open the year and a 27-15 loss to the Oklahoma State Cowboys in Week 2. That was despite having freshman starter Jaden Rashada in those first two games before injuries piled up before and during the shutout against Fresno State.
Baldwin, who was also the quarterbacks coach, oversaw a unit that due to injuries in its unit and the offensive line struggled mightily. While Rashada came on late in camp to win the job to begin 2023, he only showed flashes thanks to his arm talent, completing 54% of his passes for 485 yards in three games, tossing four touchdowns to three interceptions.
Rashada led the team in touchdown passes, as senior Trenton Bourguet played the majority of the season — some while injured. Bourguet threw just one touchdown to four picks, completing 61% of his passes for 1,486 yards.
Arizona State in the final weeks of the season relied heavily on tight end Jalin Conyers and running back Cam Skattebo to take snaps, as backup quarterbacks Drew Pyne and Jacob Conover struggled when they were healthy.
Baldwin joined the Sun Devils as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach after a stint as Cal Poly’s head coach from 2020-22.
While the 50-year-old’s 4-21 record there was an eyesore, he went 10-3 in one season as head coach at Central Washington (2007) and 85-32 leading Eastern Washington (2008-16). At EWU, Baldwin won an FCS title (2010) and appeared in three more semifinals at the Big Sky school from 2008-16.
He coached current Los Angeles Rams receiver Cooper Kupp in the final four years of his career at EWU, helping the wideout set FCS records for receptions (428) and receiving yards (6,464) in a career.
Baldwin made the leap to become assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at California and had several different job titles at the Pac-12 school from 2017-19.
