FORT COLLINS, Colo.—The Colorado State Rams have hired Billy Napier to their football coaching staff. Head Coach Jim McElwain made the announcement two days after returning to Fort Collins from the Allstate BCS National Championship.
Napier, who spent 2011 with the national champion Crimson Tide, was previously an assistant at Clemson, including the offensive coordinator from 2009-10. His capacity at CSU is to be determined, but will be on the offensive side of the ball.
Napier is the fifth member of McElwain’s inaugural staff. Last week, CSU signed Dave Baldwin to be the offensive coordinator and Tim Skipper as an assistant coach. The Rams also retained Tim Duffie, who off the field will be the Rams’ recruiting coordinator, and director of operations Tom Ehlers. Responsibilities and titles for every coach will be determined once the full staff is in place.
Was a four-year letterwinner as quarterback at Furman (1999-02), earning two conference championships and two all-conference selections. As a junior, Furman finished as the national runner-up, and during his senior season, was team captain and set several school record records that still stand today. He was a finalist for the Walter Payton Award, given to the nation’s most outstanding offensive player.
Spent two seasons as a graduate assistant at Clemson, including 2003, when the Tigers won nine games, including the Peach Bowl against Tennessee.
Worked as the quarterbacks coach at South Carolina State in 2005, helping the Bulldogs to the fourth-best turnover margin in the country, as the team committed just 11 turnovers, compared to 33 in 2004. S.C. State went 9-2 in Napier’s one season, ranking 12th in the nation in rushing, 15th in passing efficiency and 17th in scoring. He was offered the offensive coordinator position after the season, but instead was hired as an assistant at Clemson.
Spent five seasons (2006-10) in Death Valley, serving a variety of offensive duties, including offensive coordinator from 2009-10.
As a tight ends coach in 2006, helped the Tigers to lead the ACC in total offense, rushing offense and scoring offense.
Is known by his peers as a top recruiter. Served as Clemson’s recruiting coordinator from 2006-08, and signing several future All-Americans. Clemson’s 2008 signing class ranked No. 2 in the nation by ESPN.com, and was ranked in the top-25 by Rivals.com in two of Napier’s three seasons as coordinator.
Became Clemson’s youngest ever coordinator, taking over the offense in 2009, at age 29.
In his first year as offensive coordinator, guided a Clemson offense that scored 436 points, most in school history. The Tigers, winners of the 2009 ACC Atlantic Division, scored 54 touchdowns in 2009 (third-most in school history) and averaged 5.73 yards per play (fourth).
In his five full seasons with Clemson, the Tigers went to a bowl game each year and finished in the top-25 twice.
Hired by Alabama as the offensive quality control assistant, worked under McElwain and head coach Nick Saban for the 2011 national champions.
