Colorado University Athletics
Quotes From Saturday's Bowl Practice
Colorado Head Coach Dan Hawkins
General
“It’s great to be here. People ask me what the best hart has been and it’s been the people; they have been awesome. Everyone has been very hospitable and helpful. The sun is starting to come out and it’s getting close to game time so we are excited. Anytime you play in a bowl game it’s a great experience, but anytime you play against a team like
On what the bowl game means to the program
“Whoever wins the game will have a winning record, so that will help in a tangible way. Also, if we were to win it would give us momentum going into next season.”
On having extra practices
“We really tried to spend time with the younger guys in our earlier practices. We wanted to let the veterans rest and stay injury-free. We waited to game plan until just recently, because if you start too early people get bored. When you go to a bowl game, your team has a special swagger and freshness about them, especially the younger guys. This experience will really help the younger guys add confidence going into next year.”
On whether
“I’m really into the state of mind, not so much who is the favorite and who is the underdog. You have to go out and do your song and dance no matter what, so it doesn’t really matter who is favored. We really try to emphasize that to our guys, telling them that every day you get out of bed you have to do your very best.”
On defensive strategy
“Throughout my 25 years coaching football get asked these types of questions, but you really just have to go out and play. You can’t really triple-team any certain player.”
On changing game plan
“We always do many different things. We change our running game and our passing game. They may be very similar, but you try to do some things different and evolve your offense accordingly.
“We’ll see how our game plan goes. It’s like cooking Thanksgiving dinner?you think you have a great recipe but all of your relatives leave with stomach pains. It’s the same thing with your game plan. You always think you have a great one going in to the game. Sometimes it works out that way and sometimes you have to adjust.”
On PK Kevin Eberhart in critical situations
“He’s done a good job in the situations he has had. So we feel good that if he has to make a kick at the end of the game then he can make it. They (
On his favorite team to coach
“This is my 25th year coaching and people always ask who my favorite team is. They always thing my favorite team is going to be one of my 12 or 13-win teams. I’ve always said that my favorite team was my ’93
On balancing personal life and coaching
“It’s the balance of life. I learned early in coaching while I was at UC-Davis?they are a Division II school, but they are one of the winningest programs in college football history.?that there is no question that you are going to work a lot of hours. But there comes a point when you have to learn how to balance the different aspects of your life. You have to understand how to become a successful person whether it’s at school, at work or with your family. It’s all about learning how to balance the different aspects of your life. Early in my coaching career I thought I was a combination of Vince Lombardi and Bill Walsh and I was hell bent on winning football games. Now things have changed and I know that the balance is the most important part of being successful.”
On in-game adjustments
“You definitely try to adapt as you go. During the game you say ?Hey this may or may not be a good call against a certain defense or personnel grouping.’ It’s very difficult to add new things in the middle of a game. But you can adapt and make little changes, and that’s what we always do.”
Colorado
LB Jordon Dizon
ON ALABAMA RUNNING GAME?“They pretty much run the same plays no matter which running backs of theirs are in the game. We need to stop their running game no matter who is in there. I’m not taking anything away from their passing game, but we want to stop their running game first.”
ON WANTING TO WIN THE BOWL GAME?“We look at it as the beginning of a new season. We are either going to be 1-0 or 0-1 after the game. Hopefully we will win and give the team a sense of momentum going into next year’s winter conditioning and spring ball.”
ON WHAT THE BOWL GAME MEANS TO COLORADO?“For the
ON HIS FAVORITE SEASON?“My favorite year was last year. We had a lot of ups and downs and you learn the most about yourself when you go through adversity. I think that really set me up for the year that I had. It was great to see how our guys responded to the adversity and how fast this team has improved.”
OT Tyler Polumbus
ON
ON WANTING TO WIN THE BOWL GAME?“A lot of people talk about sending the seniors out with a win, but to the senior it’s not about that. We don’t even think it’s like that on Senior Day. It’s about wanting to win for the team and getting the
ON HIS CLASS?“I think my class, the guys from ’03, are coming out of here knowing that they is nothing that anyone can throw at us where we wouldn’t be ready for it. We’ve gone through a lot together, but we are all better for it.”
ON LB JORDON DIZON?“I was talking to my dad the other day about Jordon and I was telling him how amazing of a player Jordon is. I have no idea how he makes some of the plays that he makes. I think he has every tackle our team has ever made. I mean he is a freak out there. It’s amazing how you see him in there on almost every play, and at the end of the game you look at the stat sheet and he has like 20 tackles. He’s the best player I’ve ever seen and reading an offense and he’s a hard worker, and I think that’s the reason he is so successful.