WSC in search of new football coach

National search begins immediately

Western State College of Colorado announced this week changes with the Mountaineer football coaching staff that will take the program in a different direction for the 2011 season. Head Coach Pat Stewart, Offensive Coordinator C.J. Teply and Offensive Line Coach David Peña will not return for the 2011 season.
Defensive Coordinator Jas Bains and Defensive Line Coach Mike Aimone will remain on staff during the transition and handle the day-to-day operations of the program. Both coaches will have an opportunity to be considered by the new head coach to remain on staff.
The team was officially notified this week by Stewart and Western State Athletic Director Dr. Greg Waggoner.
“I want to thank Pat and his staff for their service over the past five years,” Waggoner said. “Mountaineer football has been impacted by their dedication and hard work and a positive signature has been left in areas that are important, but less tangibly measurable by the general public.”
“I am extremely honored to have been the head football coach at Western State College and I want to thank Dr. Greg Waggoner and Dr. Jay Helman for their support,” Stewart said. “I believe the football program is in a better place than when we inherited it. We were able to help many young men grow and mature into positive and productive members of society which was our ultimate goal. I wish Western State College and the Western State College Football family the best of luck in the future.”
Stewart went 10-44 in five seasons and posted the Mountaineers’ best RMAC season in six years in 2009. With this year’s all-conference teams still to be released, Stewart and his staff coached 23 student-athletes to All-RMAC honors in the first four seasons.
A national search will begin immediately with the goal of having the new head coach on board as quickly as possible to capture the best recruiting class possible before National Signing Day February 2.
“We believe Mountaineer football has the foundation to win in the RMAC and we are committed to making that happen,” Waggoner said. “It is important for the current players and the program, but it is also very important for the institution, community and alumni. Our focus for the next few weeks will be to find the right coach that is a fit and capable of getting Mountaineer football back into RMAC contention in a fairly short time period.”
Western State College has won 19 RMAC football championships, more than double any past or current member of the conference, and has made eight postseason appearances in program history.