Colorado University Athletics
Hawkins Press Conference Quotes
December 16, 2005 | Football
BOULDER - The University of Colorado held a press conference Friday afternoon to introduce Dan Hawkins as the 23rd head football coach in school history. Hawkins and Athletic Director Mike Bohn addressed the media and several invited guests and staff members who were on hand to meet the new leader of the Buffs. The following is a transcript of the session:
Colorado Athletic Director Mike Bohn
"This truly is an exciting day at the University of Colorado. Today we are here to announce a new football coach, but more importantly it embodies a great sense of teamwork. I think when we were looking for a football coach it was really evident that we were looking for a fit, a fit for the University of Colorado and for all the constituents who represent this great program. I think there is no question that we found the right fit for the Colorado Buffaloes in Dan Hawkins and his family. I am most appreciative of the support of the Board of Regents and their involvement and their willingness to share ideas, as well as their commitment to Colorado athletics and a 9-0 vote in support of Coach Hawkins.
Colorado Head Coach Dan Hawkins
GENERAL - "I am truly humbled and truly honored-it is a great day for me and my family. I've said for many, many years that the number one priority in my life is my family and it always has been. Having an environment that is conducive to their growth is one of the reasons I'm here. My wife Misti has been with me for over 20 years, and she has seen me through a lot of highs and a lot of lows and fortunately more highs then more lows. My children Ashley, Brittany, Cody and Drew have just been awesome in this deal. I appreciate (the University of Colorado) welcoming in my family, I am very honored and truly blessed and I can't thank you enough for that.
"I would not be here without the great people that supported me (in Boise, Idaho) the great staff, great players, the administration that hired me, the fans and the supporters. I have a lot of love for Boise State and the Broncos for what they've given me and my family and the opportunities they have presented to us. Over the years there are always a number of college football changes across the country coaches going and coaches coming its always been part of the profession. It is always enticing and entertaining to some degree looking at some of these positions. I have been contacted by a lot of institutions and have been very flattered and very floored.
"Mike Bohn talked about the "fit" and I believe in the "fit." I've always looked for the right fit, which is a place that has a quality of life, an academic zeal and a passion for a national championship football program. You look around the country, you put those things together and I think a lot of arrows point to the University of Colorado Buffaloes. I believe that, so when this opportunity came up and came around it was something that definitely went beyond peaking my interest. It was a place that I highlighted many years ago. Some years ago, before this facility was built my children and I ran around and played catch on the field down there, and I took my wife around here a little bit because you go ?yeah we could do Boulder, we could do Colorado.' I think it's an outstanding fit for me and it is about having that quality of balance of life, going out and having that zeal for excellence and I really feel like that is embodied here.
"I think there is tremendous tradition and I want to do everything can in my power (to continue the tradition). I had the great pleasure of visiting with Coach Mac (former CU Head Coach Bill McCartney) this morning, I asked him to write down a few thoughts on things he thought I should be doing or thinking about and he brought about a notebook that had about 50 pages in it. I am already way, way behind but tremendous tradition here, great respect for the coaches that have gone before me and the players that have been here. We want to do everything in our power to make those Buffs feel welcome, and part of this program. We need those guys to reach out into the community and bring the kind of passion, excellence and zeal that Buffalo football deserves.
"When it really came down to it, deciding whether or not I was going to stay or go, it really came down to are you going to be comfortable or are you going to have a sense of adventure? I really just felt this was too great an opportunity for me to pass up. I had an opportunity to talk with coach (Eddie) Crowder this morning; coaches have a lot of sayings and one is ?you lose with potential and you win with achievers.' I really believe we can be achievers here, and we can get everything done here in the classroom, in the community and on the football field that the fans, faculty, the regents and the media want to see out of this place. I more than willing to take on this challenge. I am extremely humbled and extremely honored.
"I had an opportunity to meet with the football team before I came here and I appreciate Mike (Bohn) setting that up because those are the guys in the cross hairs of this program. I have a bunch of guys that are reeling a little bit in Boise and there are guys reeling here and when you really get down to it, it's about those student athletes. It was an honor for me to speak to those guys and tell them a little about my philosophy and what I am about. It's going to take a combined effort from the regents, the boosters, the media, the fans, myself, our staff and our players to crank these things out. One of the groups we met with this morning, they sort of clapped like you did when Mike introduced me and I said ?don't applaud me, we haven't won any games here,' so we've done nothing at this point. It's all about today?it's all about being better tomorrow than we are today. That's what it's about, getting better. I think there is tremendous potential here. I think Colorado football, certainly, has all the potential in the world of being a national championship program. I am honored to lead that, I am honored to lead that charge. Those people that know me know my spirit, my conviction and my spirit towards the academic side of it. I have always told our football players, our recruits that I want good guys who want to graduate, who want to win rings and I want all of that. If they aren't that kind of guy then they aren't our kind of guy and I stand behind that.
"I need to connect with a lot of the players that are here, the supporters that are here and do that whole outreach program. We will do a lot of behind-the-scenes work as far as seeing (which recruits) are still out there. I would say this: If you are a Buff recruit and you are someone who is interested in Colorado, you better get in the boat because we know how to do this deal. Our kids are going to have fun, they will graduate and we will be all about excellence. I'm still putting together a staff. There are a lot of pieces to be put in place. I need to recruit No.1 the players on our team here first. I need to talk to their parents and I need to talk to people who are supportive and integral to what goes on here in Colorado football.
I'm like a lot of coaches. I have a lot of corny saying, but one of them is ?there are two types of class, there's first class and there's no class.' To me, you are either trying to be the best or you are not. I'm going to try and find that next Heisman Trophy winner. I'm going to try to find that No. 1 draft choice. Those are the kind of guys we are going to go after. It all starts in recruiting. We are going to build a foundation here in Colorado. I want every kid in Colorado that can play Division I football to want to be a Buff. We will spread out from there.
"The uniqueness about college football is that it's part entertainment, it's part business and it's part education. And you had better do all three pretty well or you are not going to be around very long.
ON FOOTBALL PHILOSPOHY - "Much of my philosophy in life is embodied in football. I think there are some fundamental things all great football teams do. It starts on defense - you had better be able to stop the run. You have to take away the big play and create turnovers. I think when you talk about offense, you have to run the football. Another part where I'm probably different is that I like throwing the ball vertical and I'm not afraid to take some chances and do some funky stuff. You can't play not to lose and I've never played that way. To teach a kid to be successful you have to get outside your comfort zone and not be afraid to take some risks and possibly fail. We will not be afraid to go out of the box. Just because you haven't seen it or somebody hasn't done it doesn't mean we're not going to try it. I think it's fun for the kids and fun for the fans. ( Boise state) has been accused sometimes off running it up on people and I always laugh about that. If we are up 35-7 in the third quarter are we just supposed to take a knee? If you are running a business and my guys are working for you from 8-5, does that mean at 2:30 that if they get their work done they can shut it down and play on the internet? I hope not. We are going to play our guts out from the opening kickoff until the official picks up the ball at the end of the game. We are not going to worry about the score?we are going to go as hard as we can go and as fast as we can go.
ON GETTING A $1.5 MILLION DONATION FOR A NEW INDOOR FACILITY - "Right now in Boise, Idaho, my guys are getting ready to practice in a new $10 million indoor facility that we have been grinding on for years to get done. Now that they get to practice in it, I'm leaving. Last night we were able to get a great lead gift for a new indoor facility. Right now we are $1.5 million closer to the goal than we were yesterday.
ON POSSIBILITY OF HIS SON CODY PLAYING FOR CU - "The one key in recruiting is to recruit the mom. So I'm recruiting the mom real hard right now. He is a very, very good player. He was the Player of the Year in Idaho; he's not the tallest guy in the world, but he can sling the ball. He's very knowledgeable and he's a great kid, so all those things I would certainly love to have in our football program."