Head Coach
Colorado State University
2011 - Present

Jim McElwain became the 20th head football coach in Colorado State program history on Dec. 13, 2011, prior to Alabama's appearance in the BCS national championship game.

McElwain, 49, came to Fort Collins from the Crimson Tide, where he had served as Nick Saban's offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach from 2008-11. A key cog in navigating the team to the national title contest in two of the last three seasons, including the Jan. 9 battle against No. 1 LSU in New Orleans, McElwain helped Alabama beat Texas to claim the 2009 championship.

The veteran coach tutored first-year quarterbacks in two of his four seasons at Alabama, Greg McElroy in 2009 and A.J. McCarron in 2011. Saban brought McElwain to Tuscaloosa from Fresno State, to replace Major Applewhite at the reins of the Tide offense.

The offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Fresno State in 2007, McElwain improved the Bulldogs' output from 338.2 total yards per game the year before his arrival to 419.5 (No. 38 in the nation), and from 23.0 points per contest to 32.9 (No. 32). Fresno State went 9-4 in his only season, including a 40-28 triumph over Georgia Tech in the Humanitarian Bowl.

In 2006, he coached the quarterbacks of the NFL's Oakland Raiders, under Pro Football Hall of Famer Art Shell, after a three-year stint (2003-05) as assistant head coach, receivers coach and special-teams coach at Michigan State.

His Spartans receivers led the team to the 2003 Alamo Bowl, establishing school records with 312 receptions and 3,510 receiving yards. The following season on special teams, he coached an All-American, punter Brandon Fields, and the Big Ten's scoring leader, kicker Dave Rayner. And prior to his departure for the NFL, Michigan State set a school mark with 24 touchdown receptions in 2005, when five of his wideouts had at least 28 catches.

McElwain coached against Colorado State in the 2000 Liberty Bowl, culminating his first season with Louisville. He spent three years (2000-02) with the Cardinals, in charge of wide receivers and special teams, helping the program to three consecutive bowls. Four of his players earned first-team all-conference honors. Three of his pupils ranked among Louisville's all-time leading receivers, including future Super Bowl MVP Deion Branch.

The offensive coordinator, quarterbacks and receivers coach at Montana State, McElwain coached in his home state with the Bobcats from 1995-99. In Bozeman, he helped QB Rob Compson compile almost 7,000 career passing yards as well as 54 touchdowns, a program record, and also tutored Chip Hobbs, the Bobcats' all-time leading career receiver (144 receptions, 2,060 yards, 18 touchdowns). No other Big Sky offense in 1998 was more prolific than Montana State, which scored 31.6 points per contest.

He broke into the coaching profession at his alma mater, Eastern Washington, where from 1985-94 he held a host of positions. He launched his career as a graduate assistant and finished his tenure with the Eagles as quarterbacks and receivers coach. During his time there, Eastern Washington earned a berth in both the 1992 and 1995 Division I-AA playoffs, and a share of the 1992 Big Sky crown. In addition, in 1993 he coached a third-team All-American, Tony Brooks, who concluded his career as the school's all-time leading receiver, with 2,969 career yards.

A 1984 graduate of Eastern Washington, where he played quarterback from 1980-83, he owns a degree in education.

An all-state field general at Sentinel High School in Missoula, Mont., McElwain grew up 119 miles up Interstate 90 from Butte, which produced former CSU head coach Sonny Lubick. He joins Lubick, Jim Sweeney and Bobby Petrino among the most prominent coaches produced by the state.

Jim and his wife, Karen, have three children, JoHanna, Elizabeth and Jerret.