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CU's Hawkins won't forget year

Loss of nine players to injury 'amazing'

By B.G. Brooks, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published November 24, 2008 at 11:13 p.m.

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Colorado coach Dan Hawkins has done a lot of soul-searching this season as nine season-ending injuries and three academic disqualifications have challenged the Buffaloes.

David Zalubowski / Associated Press/David Zalubowski / Associated Press

Colorado coach Dan Hawkins has done a lot of soul-searching this season as nine season-ending injuries and three academic disqualifications have challenged the Buffaloes.

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Regardless of the outcome of his team's final regular-season game Friday at Nebraska, Colorado Buffaloes coach Dan Hawkins will reflect on the 2008 season as perhaps the most challenging of his career.

Not only that, Hawkins conceded Monday, "This whole venture has been a challenging thing for coach 'Hawk' - but a good one. Again, that's why I came (to CU).

"I knew it wasn't going to be easy. I knew there were going to be a lot of curveballs and a lot of testing going on. That's part of throwing yourself in the fire."

After his five Boise State teams suffered only 11 losses, Hawkins' foray into the Big 12 Conference and a more difficult nonleague schedule has resulted in 23 losses (13 wins) in nearly three full seasons at CU.

But this season, mainly because of the mounting injury toll, has been unlike any other for Hawkins, who in October signed a two-year contract extension that goes through the 2012 season.

"In terms of (players) being injured, I can't ever remember (a similar year)," he said. "We've lost very few guys during the year - ever. To lose this many guys permanently is pretty amazing really."

Add senior safety D.J. Dykes to the list of those permanently scratched. Held out of the West Virginia and Oklahoma State games for what the school called an "undisclosed illness," Dykes won't play this week for what CU termed "health issues."

Also, senior safety Ryan Walters (high ankle sprain, knee) was listed on CU's game-week news release as questionable. Walters has worn a protective boot and not practiced since being injured on his first play against Oklahoma State.

As a result of losing nine players for the season to injury and three more to academic ineligibility, Hawkins said character lessons continue to be taught to himself, his staff and players.

"When you have the kind of mettle to be able to show up every day and continue to strive and work . . . it has some good moments," he said. "And to not succumb to the pressures of failing, I mean, that's huge stuff. You learn a lot."

He also contended the absence of expected contributors from the lineup has ramped up the creativity shown by his assistants: "The staff really has been amazingly creative every week about trying to come up with new ways to block things and move the football."

Nevertheless, CU remains last in the Big 12 in the major statistical offensive categories.

SCOTT UPDATE: Tailback Darrell Scott (ankle) is listed as day to day for Nebraska. Hawkins said the highly touted freshman's confidence and speed should develop further as he gets healthier and gets more repetitions in practices and games.

"It's a natural occurrence of several factors," Hawkins said. "The more experience he gets, the healthier he gets, the faster he's going to be."

NO BIG RED BREAK: From 2009 to 2012, as CU's schedule stands, the Buffs will not have their traditional open week before playing the Cornhuskers.

And with the game still being scheduled on the Friday after Thanksgiving - that date also could change - Colorado will face preparation time of five or six days.

Hawkins said he likes the Friday-after-Thanksgiving format: "It's very traditional . . . something that everybody looked forward to, and from that standpoint, it's really great."

As for not having a bye before the Nebraska game, he seemed ambivalent: "In terms of intensity and preparation, it's what you do going in (to the game)."

ETC.: Injured offensive linemen Ryan Miller and Max Tuioti-Mariner appear to be on track to get an extra year of eligibility. Hawkins said no official word has been given, but "we don't expect any issues there." . . . Freshman quarterback Tyler Hansen has a role in this week's game plan, Hawkins said. Sophomore Cody Hawkins will start. . . . Oklahoma was Hawkins' No. 1 on his weekly USA Today/Coaches Top 25. . . . The Buffs will leave for Lincoln on Thanksgiving afternoon. Kickoff is 1:30 p.m. MST Friday (KMGH-Channel 7).

Comments

  • November 25, 2008

    2:47 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    EastVail writes:

    This incompetent coach should be fired.

  • November 25, 2008

    2:55 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    mjayl64 writes:

    Are you kidding me...CU at the top of North. I think if I were a CU fan, I would get used to being at the bottom of the big 12 North. You do have one thing to look forward to...Iowa State will probably always be worse than CU.
    Nebraska is going to dominate this game in Lincoln, Friday. It is not going to have to come down to turnovers...it's just who is the better team. That is a "no brainer".
    Home for the Holidays for the Buffs!
    GO BIG RED

  • November 25, 2008

    3:48 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    bgco writes:

    Mjayi64 -

    Just another hypocritical "Husker" who lives in Colorado but will never go back to Nebraska. Your beloved pink-shirts missed a bowl last season and have not been ANY better than the Buffs. 65 points given up last season to the Buffs? 76 to KU? 56 to MIzzou?

    Nebraska at the top of the North? That has not happened in this decade. Until you beat Missouri and stop playing your cupcake non-conference schedule, then you have nothing to boast about.

  • November 25, 2008

    3:59 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    mjayl64 writes:

    I would hardly call USC and VA Tech a cupcake schedule!
    Nebraska was at the top of the Big 12 North in 2006. Crawl out from under that rock you are under!
    And to clear the air...I reside in OKLAHOMA...
    GO HUSKERS!

  • November 25, 2008

    4:02 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    mjayl64 writes:

    Atleast we do not have to have our fans bring laser's to the game to try and throw off the apposing teams quarter back! I knew CU was low...but that takes the CAKE! It didnt work against OSU did it?
    You all are SCUM BAGS!

  • November 25, 2008

    5:17 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    AKuser writes:

    Lets all take some time this week to be very thankful we do not live in Oklahoma, Nebraska or the vast armpit of America like mjay does. We need someone to grow our corn and spend their $ coming out on vacation and I want to be the 1st to thank you mjay. You are probably 13 borrowing mommies computer but you should know that Nebraska fans have the claim on the least classy and most pathetic thing ever done by 'fans'. "Sal is dead, go Big Red". Nothing like ripping on a college kid who died from cancer. Stay classy Nebraska...

  • November 25, 2008

    5:18 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    mjayl64 writes:

    When you really think about it, NOT being a CU Buff fan is something to boast about.

    CU DOES NOT and WILL NOT ever compare to an Oklahoma/Oklahoma State or a Nebraska team.

    You all are kind of like the step children on the block...no one wants to play with you!

  • November 25, 2008

    8:33 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    MightyMickey writes:

    GO BIG RED!!!!

  • November 25, 2008

    9:51 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    mjayl64 writes:

    Someone from Colorado wants to talk about bad fans.......... wow, you must not attend CU games. You can see who the worst, unprofessional fans are from. You should have been at the game a couple years ago in Boulder when then had to clear out over 10,000 CU fans before they would re start the game. Now that's class...something to be proud of!
    Its not from Nebraska. I guess you have not heard the comments from ESPN and all the other sport networks around the country on the classiness of the Nebraska fans. That is one thing CU will NEVER take from NU!
    Buffs are a bunch of cry babies...never going to amount to ANYTHING! You have thrown your highest rock, now go back to the cellar where you belong.
    Your fans held up to their reputation last weekend agains OSU as well. Keep it up Buff fans. We would not know how to act if you were classy like the majority of the big 12. CU has definetely made a name for itself. Not something to be proud of.
    HAPPY HOLIDAYS in Boulder!