Success means big payday for CU's Hawkins

B.G. Brooks, Rocky Mountain News

Published August 8, 2006 at midnight

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BOULDER - Preseason forecasters don't expect much from Dan Hawkins' first University of Colorado football team, picking the Buffaloes to finish among the also-rans in the Big 12 Conference's North Division and well out of the national top 25.

But if CU pulls a surprise, Hawkins will be well compensated for directing it. Hawkins' contract includes on-field incentives totaling $550,000 if the Buffs win the 2006 Bowl Championship Series national title.

Farfetched? Probably. CU, which opened preseason camp Monday with separate practices for freshmen and most veteran players, faces enough significant questions on offense to merit being an unknown Big 12/national entity.

Still, if Hawkins' team accomplishes the improbable, these incentives await:

• $100,000 for participation in the Big 12 championship game.

• $100,000 for winning it.

• $100,000 for winning a BCS bowl game.

• $250,000 if the Buffs are "determined to be the national champion or co-national champion according to the industry standard in effect at the time."

The more likely (and attainable) incentive scenarios for Hawkins in his debut season appear to be based on the Buffs' participation in a non-BCS bowl ($50,000) and/or his players meeting specific standards relating to graduation rates ($50,000) and citizenship ($50,000), and his program's on-campus development in the areas of "outreach, culture and reputation" ($100,000).

If Hawkins realizes all incentives, combined with a base salary of $160,000, a $490,000 radio/TV package, $200,000 in supplemental salary and $50,000 to operate his summer camp, he could earn almost $1.7 million annually.

More likely, if the Buffs reach a non-BCS bowl and he realizes the $200,000 academic/behavior incentives, his annual salary falls into the $1.1 million range, which would land him in the middle of the pack among Big 12 coaches.

Hired Dec. 16, Hawkins signed his five-year contract July 26, and CU officials signed off on it one day later. The biggest difference in the pact and the final one the school allowed Hawkins' predecessor, Gary Barnett, is found in the incentives.

Instead of rewarding performance, as did his earlier pacts, Barnett's final contract rewarded longevity. He was due $2 million if he remained at CU for the contract's duration, and although he was fired with one year remaining, his settlement with the school was for about $3 million.

Hawkins can terminate his contract by paying $1 million in 2006 or 2007, $750,000 in 2008 and $500,000 in 2009 or 2010 - sums that "were specifically and extensively negotiated between the parties."

WORKING OT: The only quarterback during Monday morning's drills was freshman Cody Hawkins, the coach's son. Father and son joked that by Friday's first full-squad practice, Cody's right arm might require a 24-hour ice pack.

The younger Hawkins, who initially committed to Boise State when his father coached there, is "now a real 5-11" and has put on 15 pounds (he weighs 194) during the offseason. Since signing day, he grew three-fourths of an inch but still hopes for a growth spurt that eventually would allow him to top 6-foot, a height he said several uncles on his mother's side have reached.

Cody Hawkins' passing skills have been obvious since spring drills in April, when he attended many of the Buffs' practices. They were just as apparent Monday, but he noted he still "has a long ways to go" in grasping CU's offense.

The younger Hawkins expects to redshirt this season, and his father has said if that plan goes awry and Cody is forced to play, the Buffs face problems at that position. Dan Hawkins also said he told players Sunday to disregard any notion of favoritism: "I told them nobody's going to play because he's somebody's son."

ETC.: Senior safety Tyrone Henderson has been temporarly suspended for a violation of team rules . . . Running back Thomas Perez did not practice while CU was clearing up admissions paperwork from his junior college, Compton (Calif.) Community College . . . On national signing day, inside linebacker Justin Nonu, of Vista, Calif., was listed at 270 pounds. He reported at 300 but appears surprisingly agile and quick at that weight. Question du jour: Does he move to a down lineman spot, where CU is noticeably thin and inexperienced? . . . So excited was Dan Hawkins about beginning practice, he said he had to remind himself during the weekend "not to peak too soon."

brooksb@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5466

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