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Dan Hawkins (coach)
Encyclopedia
Dan Hawkins is a sportscaster and former American football
player and coach in the United States. He served as the head football coach at Willamette University
, Boise State University
, and the University of Colorado at Boulder
, compiling a career college football
record of 112–61–1. Hawkins is currently a studio analyst for college football with ESPN
.
, in the northeast corner of the state.
He attended junior college at College of the Siskiyous
in Weed
and transferred to UC Davis
, where he played fullback
, and earned a bachelor's degree
in physical education
in 1984. He later completed a master’s degree in educational administration from St. Mary's College
in 1993.
He began his coaching career at UC Davis under coach Jim Sochor
the fall before he graduated, spending three years there (1983–1985). He then served as head coach at Christian Brothers High School
in Sacramento
for the 1986 and 1987 seasons. He spent four seasons (1988–1991) as the offensive coordinator
at the College of the Siskiyous
, then served as defensive coordinator at Sonoma State
in 1992.
in Salem, Oregon
, and led the Bearcats
to a 40–11–1 overall record (.779) in five seasons. In his final season Willamette was 13–1, falling 14–7 in the 1997 NAIA Division II National Championship Game.
in 1998 as an assistant under first-year head coach Dirk Koetter
. After three seasons, Koetter accepted the head coaching job at Arizona State
, and Hawkins was promoted from assistant head coach to head coach on December 2, 2000. In 2004
, Hawkins was honored with his second Western Athletic Conference
(WAC) Coach of the Year title in three years. Through the 2005
season, he compiled a 53–11 record (.828) in five seasons as Boise State's head coach, including a 37–3 record (.925) in WAC competition with four straight WAC titles. Only Walter Camp
, George Washington Woodruff
and Bob Pruett
had more total wins in their first five years of head coaching. He holds a 31–game WAC winning streak, the longest in conference history. One of his first hires at Boise State was Chris Petersen
as his offensive coordinator; Petersen was a quarterback at UC Davis
while Hawkins was an assistant coach, and was the wide receivers coach at Oregon
under head coach Mike Bellotti
. Petersen succeeded Hawkins as head coach following the 2005 season, when Hawkins departed for Colorado.
on December 16, 2005. Hawkins was signed to a five-year contract paying him $
900,000 annually with incentives totaling to $1.5 million. Hawkins took over the Colorado football program
from Gary Barnett
, who had spent some of his tenure mired in controversy.
Hawkins earned national attention in February 2007 during the National Signing Day
press conference. He passionately expressed his disappointment in the attitude of a player's parent who had anonymously complained about the reduction in the players' time off before the summer conditioning program started, famously saying "It's Division I football! It's the Big 12
! It ain't intramurals! You've got two weeks after finals. You've got a week at July 4th. You've got a week before camp starts. That's a month! That's probably more vacation than you guys (reporters) get. And we're a little bummed out that we don't get three weeks? Go play intramurals, brother. Go play intramurals."
Prior to the 2009 season
, Hawkins, under fire for his performance at Colorado thus far, publicly pledged "ten wins no excuses". The team ended that year with a 3–9 record. On November 26, 2009, Colorado athletic director Mike Bohn announced that Hawkins would return as head football coach for the 2010 season
, despite an overall record at Colorado of 16–33.
On November 6, 2010, Colorado blew a 28-point fourth quarter lead over the Kansas Jayhawks
and lost, 52–45, the biggest collapse in the 121-year history of Colorado football. While still nursing that large lead in the fourth quarter, Hawkins continued to have his team throw the ball on offense instead of running out the clock, allowing Kansas time to mount its comeback. There has been widespread suspicion Hawkins made that choice because he was more concerned about his quarterback, son Cody Hawkins
, breaking the school's all-time passing record than winning the game.
After the Kansas loss, Hawkins was criticized for cutting his contractually-obligated post-game interview with radio station KOA short after just two questions and 27 seconds. After the interviewer asked him why Colorado didn't run the ball more to protect their shrinking lead, he dismissively replied, "We were playing football moving it both ways. A tough day. Thanks, guys."
Hawkins was fired by the University of Colorado on November 9, 2010. He was making approximately $1.5 million a year including incentives and base salary; his buyout was approximately $2 million.
and Drew, former Boise state quarterback.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player and coach in the United States. He served as the head football coach at Willamette University
Willamette University
Willamette University is an American private institution of higher learning located in Salem, Oregon. Founded in 1842, it is the oldest university in the Western United States. Willamette is a member of the Annapolis Group of colleges, and is made up of an undergraduate College of Liberal Arts and...
, Boise State University
Boise State University
Boise State University is a public university located in Boise, Idaho. Originally founded in 1932 as a junior college by the Episcopal Church, the university became an independent institution in 1934, and has been awarding baccalaureate and master degrees since 1965...
, and the University of Colorado at Boulder
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
, compiling a career college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
record of 112–61–1. Hawkins is currently a studio analyst for college football with ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
.
Education and early positions
Hawkins grew up in tiny Bieber, CaliforniaBieber, California
Bieber is a census-designated place in Lassen County, California. It is located on the Pit River north-northwest of Susanville, at an elevation of 4124 feet . Its population was 312 at the 2010 census. The ZIP Code is 96009. The community is inside area code 530.-History:The settlement sprang up...
, in the northeast corner of the state.
He attended junior college at College of the Siskiyous
College of the Siskiyous
College of the Siskiyous is a public two-year community college with campus is located in Weed, and Yreka, California in Siskiyou County in Northern California. It is part of the California Community Colleges System and has an enrollment of approximately 3,000 students, including part-time students...
in Weed
Weed, California
Weed is a city located in Siskiyou County, California. As of the 2010 Census, the town had a total population of 2,967, down from 2,979 at the 2000 census. There are several unincorporated communities adjacent to, or just outside Weed proper. These include Edgewood, Carrick, Lake Shastina, Rancho...
and transferred to UC Davis
UC Davis Aggies football
The UC Davis Aggies football team represents the University of California, Davis in NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision intercollegiate competition...
, where he played fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
, and earned a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in physical education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
in 1984. He later completed a master’s degree in educational administration from St. Mary's College
Saint Mary's College of California
Saint Mary's College of California is a private, coeducational college located in Moraga, California, United States, a small suburban community about east of Oakland and 20 miles east of San Francisco. It has a 420-acre campus in the Moraga hills. It is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church...
in 1993.
He began his coaching career at UC Davis under coach Jim Sochor
Jim Sochor
Jim Sochor is a former American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at the University of California, Davis from 1970 to 1988 during which time compiling a record of 156–41–5 and won 18 consecutive conference championships,...
the fall before he graduated, spending three years there (1983–1985). He then served as head coach at Christian Brothers High School
Christian Brothers High School (Sacramento, California)
Christian Brothers High School High School is a private, Roman Catholic, college-preparatory high school in Sacramento, California. It is located within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento.-Background:...
in Sacramento
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
for the 1986 and 1987 seasons. He spent four seasons (1988–1991) as the offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
at the College of the Siskiyous
College of the Siskiyous
College of the Siskiyous is a public two-year community college with campus is located in Weed, and Yreka, California in Siskiyou County in Northern California. It is part of the California Community Colleges System and has an enrollment of approximately 3,000 students, including part-time students...
, then served as defensive coordinator at Sonoma State
Sonoma State University
Sonoma State University is a public, coeducational business and liberal arts college affiliated with the California State University system. The main campus is located in Rohnert Park, California, United States and lies approximately south of Santa Rosa and north of San Francisco...
in 1992.
Willamette
In 1993, Hawkins became the head coach at Willamette UniversityWillamette Bearcats
The Willamette Bearcats are the athletic teams of Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, United States. Competing at the non-scholarship National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III level, the school fields twenty teams. Most teams compete in the Northwest Conference with their primary...
in Salem, Oregon
Salem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
, and led the Bearcats
Willamette Bearcats
The Willamette Bearcats are the athletic teams of Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, United States. Competing at the non-scholarship National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III level, the school fields twenty teams. Most teams compete in the Northwest Conference with their primary...
to a 40–11–1 overall record (.779) in five seasons. In his final season Willamette was 13–1, falling 14–7 in the 1997 NAIA Division II National Championship Game.
Boise State
Hawkins moved up to NCAA Division I-A football at Boise StateBoise State Broncos football
This page discusses the Boise State football program. For more Boise State athletics, see Boise State Broncos.The Boise State Broncos football program represents Boise State University in college football and compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I as a member of the Mountain West...
in 1998 as an assistant under first-year head coach Dirk Koetter
Dirk Koetter
-NFL drafted players under Koetter:-External links:* *...
. After three seasons, Koetter accepted the head coaching job at Arizona State
Arizona State Sun Devils football
The Arizona State Sun Devils' football program represents Arizona State University in college football, and competes in NCAA Division I FBS as a member of the Pacific-12 Conference....
, and Hawkins was promoted from assistant head coach to head coach on December 2, 2000. In 2004
2004 Boise State Broncos football team
The 2004 Boise State Broncos football team represented Boise State University in the 2004 college football season. Boise State competed as a member of the Western Athletic Conference , and played their home games at Bronco Stadium in Boise, Idaho...
, Hawkins was honored with his second Western Athletic Conference
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
(WAC) Coach of the Year title in three years. Through the 2005
2005 Boise State Broncos football team
The 2005 Boise State Broncos football team represented Boise State University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football during the 2005 season...
season, he compiled a 53–11 record (.828) in five seasons as Boise State's head coach, including a 37–3 record (.925) in WAC competition with four straight WAC titles. Only Walter Camp
Walter Camp
Walter Chauncey Camp was an American football player, coach, and sports writer known as the "Father of American Football". With John Heisman, Amos Alonzo Stagg, Pop Warner, Fielding H. Yost, and George Halas, Camp was one of the most accomplished persons in the early history of American football...
, George Washington Woodruff
George Washington Woodruff
Note: Before 1936, national champions were determined by historical research and retroactive ratings and polls. 1894 Poll Results = Penn: Parke H. Davis, Princeton: Houlgate, Yale: Billingsley, Helms, National Championship Foundation, Parke H. Davis1895 Poll Results = Penn: Billingsley, Helms,...
and Bob Pruett
Bob Pruett
Bob Pruett is best known as the former head football coach of the Marshall University Thundering Herd for nine seasons from 1996 to 2004...
had more total wins in their first five years of head coaching. He holds a 31–game WAC winning streak, the longest in conference history. One of his first hires at Boise State was Chris Petersen
Chris Petersen
Chris Petersen is an American football coach and former player in the United States. He is currently the head football coach at Boise State University, a position he has held since the 2006 season. Peterson has guided the Broncos to two BCS bowl wins, in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl and the 2010 Fiesta...
as his offensive coordinator; Petersen was a quarterback at UC Davis
UC Davis Aggies football
The UC Davis Aggies football team represents the University of California, Davis in NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision intercollegiate competition...
while Hawkins was an assistant coach, and was the wide receivers coach at Oregon
Oregon Ducks football
The Oregon Ducks football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University of Oregon located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The team competes at the NCAA Division I level in the Football Bowl Subdivision and is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. Known as the Ducks, the...
under head coach Mike Bellotti
Mike Bellotti
Robert Michael "Mike" Bellotti is a college football analyst for ESPN and ABC. A native of California, he was hired as football offensive coordinator by the University of Oregon in 1989. From 1995 to 2009, he was the head coach of the Oregon Ducks football team...
. Petersen succeeded Hawkins as head coach following the 2005 season, when Hawkins departed for Colorado.
Colorado
Hawkins was introduced as head football coach at the University of ColoradoUniversity of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
on December 16, 2005. Hawkins was signed to a five-year contract paying him $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
900,000 annually with incentives totaling to $1.5 million. Hawkins took over the Colorado football program
Colorado Buffaloes football
The Colorado Buffaloes football program represents the University of Colorado at Boulder in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The team is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference, having previously been a charter member of the Big 12 Conference. Before joining the Big 12,...
from Gary Barnett
Gary Barnett
Gary Barnett is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Fort Lewis College , Northwestern University , and the University of Colorado at Boulder , compiling a career college football record of 92–94–2...
, who had spent some of his tenure mired in controversy.
Hawkins earned national attention in February 2007 during the National Signing Day
National Signing Day
National Signing Day most commonly refers to a day in February, usually on the first Wednesday of that month, which is the first day that a high school senior can sign a binding National Letter of Intent for college football with a school that is a member of the NCAA, the main governing body for...
press conference. He passionately expressed his disappointment in the attitude of a player's parent who had anonymously complained about the reduction in the players' time off before the summer conditioning program started, famously saying "It's Division I football! It's the Big 12
Big 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...
! It ain't intramurals! You've got two weeks after finals. You've got a week at July 4th. You've got a week before camp starts. That's a month! That's probably more vacation than you guys (reporters) get. And we're a little bummed out that we don't get three weeks? Go play intramurals, brother. Go play intramurals."
Prior to the 2009 season
2009 Colorado Buffaloes football team
The 2009 Colorado Buffaloes football team represented the University of Colorado in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS college football season. The Buffaloes were led by fourth year head coach Dan Hawkins and played their home games at Folsom Field. The Buffaloes finished the season with a record of 3–9...
, Hawkins, under fire for his performance at Colorado thus far, publicly pledged "ten wins no excuses". The team ended that year with a 3–9 record. On November 26, 2009, Colorado athletic director Mike Bohn announced that Hawkins would return as head football coach for the 2010 season
2010 Colorado Buffaloes football team
The 2010 Colorado Buffaloes football team represented the University of Colorado in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by fifth-year head coach Dan Hawkins for the first nine games and interim head coach Brian Cabral for the final three games. Colorado played their...
, despite an overall record at Colorado of 16–33.
On November 6, 2010, Colorado blew a 28-point fourth quarter lead over the Kansas Jayhawks
2010 Kansas Jayhawks football team
The 2010 Kansas Jayhawks football team represented the University of Kansas in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season which was the school's 121st season...
and lost, 52–45, the biggest collapse in the 121-year history of Colorado football. While still nursing that large lead in the fourth quarter, Hawkins continued to have his team throw the ball on offense instead of running out the clock, allowing Kansas time to mount its comeback. There has been widespread suspicion Hawkins made that choice because he was more concerned about his quarterback, son Cody Hawkins
Cody Hawkins
Cody Hawkins is a former quarterback for the University of Colorado Buffaloes football team, and current quarterback for the Stockholm Mean Machines of the Sweden Super Series.-High school:...
, breaking the school's all-time passing record than winning the game.
After the Kansas loss, Hawkins was criticized for cutting his contractually-obligated post-game interview with radio station KOA short after just two questions and 27 seconds. After the interviewer asked him why Colorado didn't run the ball more to protect their shrinking lead, he dismissively replied, "We were playing football moving it both ways. A tough day. Thanks, guys."
Hawkins was fired by the University of Colorado on November 9, 2010. He was making approximately $1.5 million a year including incentives and base salary; his buyout was approximately $2 million.
Personal life
Hawkins is married to the former Misti Rae Ann Hokanson, a registered nurse. They are the parents of four grown children, daughters Ashley and Brittany, and sons CodyCody Hawkins
Cody Hawkins is a former quarterback for the University of Colorado Buffaloes football team, and current quarterback for the Stockholm Mean Machines of the Sweden Super Series.-High school:...
and Drew, former Boise state quarterback.