It was only a matter of time before the right head coaching job came along for Jim McElwain.

The right one did this week. McElwain, Alabama's offensive coordinator for the past four seasons, has been hired as Colorado State's head coach.

McElwain will remain on Alabama's staff through the Allstate BCS National Championship Game on Jan. 9 in New Orleans. He'd been mentioned in connection with several other head-coaching vacancies this year, including Fresno State and Memphis. McElwain, who's from Montana, turned down some other opportunities last year that he didn't feel like were the right fit.

With his keen offensive mind and ability to relate to players he was going to get a shot somewhere, and he'll be missed in Tuscaloosa.

Alabama's defense has garnered most of the spotlight since Nick Saban's arrival in 2007, but McElwain has been one of the unsung heroes in the Crimson Tide's run. His offenses have been balanced, and he's also been extremely effective when it comes to developing quarterbacks.

This season, Alabama leads the SEC in rushing offense (219.8 yards per game) and is second in total offense (433.4 yards per game). The Crimson Tide averaged 32.1 points per game in 2009 on their way to the national championship and have improved their scoring output each year since. They averaged 35.7 points last season and are averaging 36 points per game this season as they head into into their national title showdown with LSU.