Cal Poly LB Coach Going to Stanford

[G.W.Bush]

Cal Poly linebackers coach Hammerschmidt leaving Mustangs for Stanford jobBy Brian Milnebmilne@thetribunenews.comCal Poly linebackers coach Jeff Hammerschmidt has resigned to take an assistant coaching position at Stanford, the second time the Mustangs football team has lost a prominent assistant this month.
Co-offensive coordinator Ian Shields was hired as Eastern Oregon’s new head coach Feb. 7.
Hammerschmidt, who came to Cal Poly last year after spending the previous two seasons as defensive coordinator at Montana, said he accepted the Stanford position Wednesday and will coach special teams and outside linebackers for Walt Harris’ Cardinal.
He replaces friend and former University of Arizona teammate Tom Quinn, recently hired to coach special teams for the New York Giants.
"Stanford’s where I made my first college start," Hammerschmidt, a former Wildcats safety, said Friday from the Cal Poly football office. "It’s just a great place. It’s Stanford. They have such a great history athletic-wise and academically. They’re close to being a bowl team and Quinn has been saying what a good guy Harris is to work for."
Since head coach Rich Ellerson first implemented his flex defense at Cal Poly in 2001, the Mustangs have always had a solid linebacker corps and last year was no exception under Hammerschmidt’s direction.
The 2005 unit was led by junior Kyle Shotwell, the team leader in tackles with 158 in 13 games as the Mustangs went
9-4 and toppled Division I-AA West region power Montana in the first round of the playoffs.
"That’s what makes this a tough decision because that (Montana) victory was the best victory of my coaching career," Hammerschmidt said. "To be around Rich and what he’s been building, this group of guys and the chemistry they have, has been special. ... I know the timing is tough but after weighing my options financially and family-wise, I had to say, ‘Let’s do this.’ "
Ellerson admitted Hammerschmidt’s departure comes at an "awkward" time because the Mustangs are wrapping up their second week of spring drills this weekend.
While Shield’s position has been filled by Bill Tripp, a longtime offensive line coach who rejoined the program last season, Ellerson will likely have to fill in for Hammerschmidt until a replacement is made.
Ellerson said the defensive position would likely be filled by a coach from outside the program.
"For now, some of those duties will get spread around a bit," he said. "I’m probably going to have to jump in there a little bit but it’ll be OK. Some times are better than others for stuff like this, but there’s really no perfect time."
The coaching departure is nothing new for the Mustangs, who had the same staff for Ellerson’s first three years but have now lost five assistants (four to the Division I-A level) — not including recently departed strength and conditioning coach Chris Holder — since the end of the 2003 season.
Holder, former defensive coordinator David Fipp and wide receivers coach Brent Brennan are at San Jose State. Ex-Cal Poly defensive line coach Joe Seumalo, hired by San Jose State prior to season, is now the defensive line coach at Oregon State.

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