Colorado University Athletics
Brooks: Big 12 Media Day Notebook
July 29, 2009 | Football, B.G. Brooks
DALLAS - Predictably, the lead-off question for Dan Hawkins Wednesday on the final day of the Big 12 Conference's preseason media briefing was his "10 and no" remark made at last season's senior banquet.
At that time, Hawkins challenged his team to make "10 wins and no excuses" its goal for the 2009 season. Since then, the remark almost has taken on a life of its own in the erroneous forms of a prediction, a guarantee, a promise, etc.
Fairly certain the question was coming Wednesday, Hawkins recited what he's so often said about keeping the bar of excellence at a high level in all areas.
"If you're not a high-standard guy, you're a low-standard guy," he said. "It's not about the wins. I didn't guarantee anything. I didn't promise anything. I didn't threaten anything . . . . The equation was we should always expect the best."
Senior linebacker Marcus Burton framed the banquet scene and Hawkins' remark like this:
"There were players there, coaches there, and he (Hawkins) went into this 'I'm kind of a tired of losing' deal and 'I hope you guys are, too.'
"I think every team wants to win 12 games, not just 10. We're going to take it as challenge that we have to go out there and win games.
"I don't think it was frustration . . . but when you're doing your job, you feel like you should get the thing you're working for. Maybe that's a little frustration, but it just makes you want to work hard and make sure there's no reason you don't have (success)."
GEER WORTH WATCHING: Senior tight end Riar Geer was one of 30 players named Wednesday to the John Mackey Award's preseason watch list.
Geer, of Grand Junction, joined fellow Big 12 tight ends Mike McNeill (Nebraska), Jermaine Gresham (Oklahoma), Blaine Irby (Texas) and Jeron Mastrud (Kansas State) on the list.
The Mackey Award is given annually to college football's top tight end and was won by CU's Daniel Graham in 2001.
Geer called being named to the watch list "pretty exciting. I really hadn't thought about it, but it's a very prestigious award. I know Dan Graham won it when he was here; if I wound up winning it, it would be awesome.''
In 10 games last season, Geer made 13 receptions for 183 yards and two touchdowns.
BROWN'S A BELIEVER: Preseason forecasters think Texas can contend for the national championship, so who is Mack Brown to tamp down any of that hype?
Well, the Longhorns coach is not going to try. His knows his team is talented enough to be a bona fide 2009 contender - the same feeling he had in 2005, and you know how that feeling played out.
"This year's team will have to live up to the same expectations. They're going to have to play very well (at) a very high standard each week,n++n++n++ Brown said.
Texas is beyond talent-rich - start with senior quarterback and Heisman Trophy prospect Colt McCoy - but Brown still can scour his depth chart and uncover a few question marks.
"We have some youth on the defensive line," he said. "We still (are) separating our running backs and trying to figure how to do that."
But you get the feeling that won't pose much of a dilemma, and not much Brown says makes you believe otherwise. "We feel . . . if this team will play up to their ability, they do have a chance to be really good. That's obviously our goal."
The Buffs play in Austin on Oct. 10.
CRACK THAT WHIP: The work Bill Snyder demanded of his assistant coaches during his reconstruction of the Kansas State program was legendary, and, according to some former aides, bordering on maniacal.
In his second tour of duty in Manhattan, Kan., will Snyder be the same sort of taskmaster?
Yes and no.
"Well, if I can stay up with the pace, the answer is yes," he said. "I wouldn't ask anybody in our program to do anything that I wouldn't be able to do, and I didn't do it then."
Snyder, who resurrected Wildcats football from 1989 to 2005, contends his penchant for long, grueling hours is required because, "I'm a little slower than most . . . it takes me a little longer to get things done."
But in his second time around, there could be a built-in equalizer on his staff. Son Sean is K-State's director of football operations and has given his dad three of the elder Snyder's eight grandchildren.
"I'm going to make sure he has ample time to spend with his family," Bill Snyder said. "I missed out on mine to a certain degree . . . . We'll try to find the right blend in that respect, but it's a demanding job."
IT'S A NEW WORLD: Since Snyder took his temporary leave, there have been a few changes - most noticeably in recruiting, he believes.
Here's his take on cyberspace and recruiting services: "You know, I get up early every morning and get this Blackberry thing out . . . . It's got all the recruiting services and they've got a long story on every youngster in the nation above the age of four.
"Tells you what he had for breakfast, what position he plays and who's recruiting him and so on . . . . I mean, it's so much, it's so very, very visible and so national right now . . . it's a change for me, but I think over the past two or three years it's been a change for everybody."
WHO'S NEXT AT TECH? Mike Leach's star quarterback in waiting appears to be Taylor Potts, a junior from Abilene, Texas, who spent the past two years as Graham Harrell's understudy.
Leach said the 6-foot-5, 215-pound Potts "could have started for a lot of teams last year . . . if (he) is our starter, I know we've got a good one. If somebody beats out Potts, I know we have an even better one."
QUOTEWORTHY: "You're talking about a huge, gigantic person ambling around, diving at stuff, hitting stuff, wrecking stuff, and then he looks up at the clock and is upset that it's over." - Leach on Tech offensive lineman Brandon Carter
Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU
