Colorado State hires Steve Addazio as head football coach

Dec. 11 (UPI) -- Colorado State hired former Boston College and Temple coach Steve Addazio as its 23rd head football coach in program history, the school announced Wednesday.

Addazio agreed to a five-year contract, with a base salary of $1.5 million in the first year and a $50,000 increase each year of the contract, according to the school.

"I would like to thank president Joyce McConnell and director of athletics Joe Parker for the opportunity to lead this football program," Addazio said in a statement. "Colorado State University is a world-class institution, and Fort Collins is an incredible city to live in and to be able to recruit to.

"Our program will be one built on toughness and passion, and we will work tirelessly to develop men of character to return championship-level football back to Colorado State."

Boston College fired Addazio on Dec. 1 after seven seasons at the school. He replaces former CSU coach Mike Bobo, who resigned last week after he reached a financial settlement with the school.

Addazio, 60, posted a 44-44 record at Boston College and has a 57-55 overall mark as an FBS head coach. Before becoming a head coach, he was an assistant under Urban Meyer at Florida from 2005 to 2010.

"Throughout his career, coach Addazio has been committed to the holistic development of student-athletes and of the programs he has led," Parker said. "He has focused on crafting cultures where his students thrive on the field and in the classroom. We look forward to coach Addazio leading our football team as we strive to be the preeminent program in the Mountain West."

Addazio will be formally introduced in a press conference Thursday.