CSU offensive coordinator Will Friend, cornerbacks coach leaving for Tennessee

Mike Bobo will have to replace coordinators on both sides of the ball before next season.

Offensive coordinator Will Friend is headed to Tennessee to join the staff of new coach Jeremy Pruitt. CSU cornerbacks coach Terry Fair is also leaving to join Pruitt's staff.

"That's the nature of this business, these things happen," Bobo said after practice Thursday. "It's always difficult when somebody leaves, there's never a good time to leave."

Bobo said Friend and Fair left for Knoxville on Thursday and won't coach the Rams in the New Mexico Bowl on Dec. 16, when the Rams take on 7-5 Marshall. With an early signing period starting Dec. 20, this is a key time to recruit.

"As a head coach, I'm excited for those guys. I'm excited that you have guys on your staff that get opportunities to go different places," Bobo said. "I wish them good luck and we'll always be friends and stay in touch, but what I'm concerned about is our football team. We're going to finish."

Friend, who served as offensive line coach in addition to offensive coordinator at CSU, was the highest paid Group of Five assistant coach in college football at $540,000, according to USA TODAY Sports’ database of assistant coach salaries.

He’s coached the Rams for three seasons, coming with Bobo from Georgia. He served as offensive line coach for four years at Georgia. Friend and Pruitt were teammates at Alabama in the 1990s.

The Rams' offensive line ranks tied for second in the nation in sacks allowed, joining Marshall and Appalachian State with eight. The Rams, behind three senior linemen, averaged 501 yards of offense per game, ranking 10th in the country, and 33.8 points, good for 29th in the country.

While Friend carries the title of coordinator, Bobo is the game-day play-caller for the Rams.

Bobo said graduate assistant Kevin O'Brien will lead the offensive line through the bowl game in Friend's absence. Safeties coach Jamie Bryant will lead the cornerbacks.

Lyell: Mike Bobo's rebuilding job begins with his CSU staff

Both of Bobo’s coordinators now won’t return for next season, after the team announced in November that defensive coordinator Marty English will retire following CSU’s Dec. 16 New Mexico Bowl appearance.

Fair is a Tennessee alum who played at the school from 1994-97. Fair was making $147,610 at CSU.

Bobo will have at least four assistant openings to fill with the two coordinator positions, cornberbacks coach, plus a 10th on-field assistant allowed beginning in January under an NCAA rule change.

Bobo said he has some names in mind to fill out his staff and has been making and receiving calls of those interested. He said there's no timeline to set his staff and the situation is fluid as the coaching landscape will continue to change over the next month or so.

Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle at twitter.com/Kevin_Lytle and at facebook.com/KevinSLytle.

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