Regents likely to support buyout if CU fires Hawkins

[UGAHusker]

Long, but interesting read regarding the different entities at work for the (probable) firing of Nick Nolte...I mean Dan Hawkins

 

http://www.coloradodaily.com/ci_13839044

 

Regents likely to support buyout if CU fires Hawkins

However, CU board concerned about how to pay nearly $3.5 million

By Kyle Ringo Camera Sports Writer

Posted: 11/21/2009 12:13:34 AM MST

 

 

Several members of the Colorado Board of Regents said Friday they would be willing to approve a buyout for football coach Dan Hawkins if chancellor Phil DiStefano and athletic director Mike Bohn decide firing the fourth-year coach is the right move.

Republican Regent Tom Lucero said while he wouldn`t vote against a buyout that could cost nearly $3.5 million, he believes Hawkins deserves at least one more year to build the program he envisioned when he came to CU in December of 2005 to replace former coach Gary Barnett, who was fired.

 

"I`m a huge fan of Dan Hawkins and I am of the opinion that the guy needs at least one more year. Plain and simple," Lucero said.

 

Kyle Hybl, a Colorado Springs republican member of the board, said the regents have not discussed any possible coaching change, but he acknowledged the board is aware the issue could come before it. The Board of Regents is responsible for approving matters related to long-term contracts in the university system, including a buyout. A simple majority vote is all that is required to complete the process once a decision has been made by campus officials.

 

"Provided they go through an appropriate process and fully consider what steps they take, whether it`s retention or not, I think you will find the board will be supportive, provided they have gone through a thorough process either way,” Hybl said.

 

Hawkins has been under fire from angry fans this fall for mounting losses in a season that was supposed to be a turnaround year. Hawkins contributed to heightened expectations before the season when he challenged his team to win 10 games.

 

The Buffs are 3-8 this year and 16-32 in nearly four full seasons under Hawkins. They have not won a road game in more than two calendar years and have not produced a winning season with Hawkins at the helm.

 

Hawkins' 2007 team finished the regular season 6-6 and played in a bowl game, losing to Alabama.

 

Athletic director Mike Bohn began the season ardently defending his coach's track record in Boulder and believing the team would improve. However, as the season has gone on and the losing has continued, Bohn has changed his tone and now refuses to say Hawkins' job is safe or when a decision will come about Hawkins' future.

 

After a loss Thursday night at Oklahoma State, Bohn told reporters in the press box, “We continue to have no confirmed timetable on anything associated with that.”

 

The Camera attempted to contact every member of the board Friday afternoon and evening. Republican Tilman Bishop, of Grand Junction, had little to say about the issue because it is not currently before the board.

 

“I'm not going to step down into management,” Tilman said. “That wouldn't be appropriate of me. We have structure and that structure should be honored.”

 

The school was heavily criticized four years ago for paying Barnett roughly $3 million as part of a separation agreement after his firing. Several regents said they have concerns about paying another hefty buyout for a coach during tough economic times on campus.

 

They indicated that while they wouldn't refuse to include money from the campus and the CU system in a buyout, it would be easier to support a buyout if it was privately funded through a donation or multiple donations to the athletic department.

 

“These are trying times, obviously, for the state of Colorado,” Lucero said. “... Right now for the university to put up any money into a football contract to buy it out, when we're going to have to figure out how to keep tuition down and figure out how to deal with a $150 million cut from the state after the stimulus dollars run out in 2011. These are pretty trying times and significant budget discussions, and I think people would be pretty upset, and rightfully so, if we had to invest to buy Hawk out.”

 

The school took steps to limit its liability with long-term contracts after paying off Barnett. Long-term contracts in the athletic department are now standardized in many respects. They now require a buyout clause protecting the school from a coach leaving before the end of the deal, and, in some cases, limits the school's liability to less than the full value remaining on the contract.

 

For example women's basketball coach Kathy McConnell-Miller's contract is limited to her base salary alone if she was reassigned or terminated.

 

“It's Phil's campus to run. I'm not going to micro-manage it,” Lucero said. “It's Mike's department to run. I'm not going to micro-manage it. But my point is, people are going to be pretty upset if they see the Boulder campus claiming poverty down at the state legislature and in turn, turn around and invest seven figures to buy Hawk out.”

 

Hawkins' contract was extended in the spring of 2008 following a bowl game appearance and his signing a top-15 recruiting class. It was formally approved by the regents in the middle of last season. The extension added three years to the deal. It runs through the 2012 season and expires on Jan. 31, 2013.

 

That means keeping Hawkins is a risk, too.

 

If the program fails to improve next year, when the schedule is much tougher, the school will still owe him more than $2 million and the program will be another year behind on the field and in recruiting.

 

Hawkins continues to be asked about his future in Boulder and sounds optimistic about it. Perhaps because he recognizes some of the realities. Players also have said they have been told their coaches will return next season.

 

“I'm good. Mike's good. We're good,” Hawkins said after the Oklahoma State loss, referring to Mike Bohn.

 

While Lucero believes Hawkins can still become the coach CU fans thought he was four years ago, he said deciding when to make a change involves risk. There is no guarantee the next coach will get the job done, no matter how rosy the résumé.

 

Hawkins came to CU from Boise State as the winningest active coach in major college football with a 53-11 record.

 

His hiring was nearly universally praised as a good fit for the school and the community. Hawkins has enjoyed some successes, such as improving the overall team grade point average and beating a ranked team in three of his four seasons. He also requires his players to volunteer at least four hours a semester in the community.

 

CU fans love all of those qualities about their coach, but they are fed up with the lack of results on the field.

 

One longtime CU booster sat in the Oklahoma City airport Friday morning waiting for a plane home to Denver. He said he was disheartened Thursday night listening to a postgame call-in show on the radio.

 

One OSU fan asked a radio announcer about the significance of the Cowboys' victory and the announcer said, “It's only Colorado.”

 

“There is nothing worse than being irrelevant,” the CU booster said.

[snootalope]

“There is nothing worse than being irrelevant,” the CU booster said.

 

I bet he wanted to throw a plastic bottle at the person who asked him that...

[BeachBuffs]

The economy is the #1 reason why he isn't already gone and the reason I am not sold 100% that he will be fired. I like what he has done off the field as much as anyone, I take a lot of crap about student behavior but he has done a lot to curtail that childish nonsense. I loved the stand he took 2 years ago when we beat your asses in Boulder by threatening to take the team off the field if they choose to act like asshats. I just wish he would have never brought his son in and named him the starter it has destroyed confidence in him to make sound decisions.

[NUpolo8]

The economy is the #1 reason why he isn't already gone and the reason I am not sold 100% that he will be fired. I like what he has done off the field as much as anyone, I take a lot of crap about student behavior but he has done a lot to curtail that childish nonsense. I loved the stand he took 2 years ago when we beat your asses in Boulder by threatening to take the team off the field if they choose to act like asshats. I just wish he would have never brought his son in and named him the starter it has destroyed confidence in him to make sound decisions.

 

 

If there was celebrating in 07 over beating the worst Nebraska team ever then asshat is too nice a word.

[BeachBuffs]

The economy is the #1 reason why he isn't already gone and the reason I am not sold 100% that he will be fired. I like what he has done off the field as much as anyone, I take a lot of crap about student behavior but he has done a lot to curtail that childish nonsense. I loved the stand he took 2 years ago when we beat your asses in Boulder by threatening to take the team off the field if they choose to act like asshats. I just wish he would have never brought his son in and named him the starter it has destroyed confidence in him to make sound decisions.

 

 

If there was celebrating in 07 over beating the worst Nebraska team ever then asshat is too nice a word.

 

It was a threat before the game so that there would be no repeat of the '05 incident.

[epocSoN]

Ever since the "the worst days as a buff are still better than the best days as a husker" comment, I have been counting the days till his demise. Other than that I have no reason to dislike the guy. But one comment like that, and hes on my s*it list.

[BeachBuffs]

Ever since the "the worst days as a buff are still better than the best days as a husker" comment, I have been counting the days till his demise. Other than that I have no reason to dislike the guy. But one comment like that, and hes on my s*it list.

 

Some of you make too much out of that comment, why does it bother you so much, do you think a coach should come in and say "Why are you all here, Nebraska is better?" Get real, a college coaches job is to motivate his team and fan base and so long as it is done legally and ethically what difference does it make? If Pelini made some reference to CU that was off color and was used to motivate his team or fanbase I could care less but then I live in the heart of SEC country where that stuff happens daily and people are used to it. Maybe that is why the SEC gets rated higher, everyone is just tougher?

[epocSoN]

Honestly, it wasn't that he said that comment, it was in the context he said it. It was his first year at CU. To my memory he had absolutely no place in the history between Nebraska and Colorado. It just seemed like a lazy way to get in with the cool crowd. If he said it now, after years of being the CU coach it wouldn't bother me, but with no history, no knowledge of CU vs NU I think it was lame.

 

Its like this....

[BeachBuffs]

Any differrent then the stuff Lane Kiffin has been spouting? Kiffin's were worse, he accused Meyer of cheating but sportswriters love him because he doesn't hold back.

[UGAHusker]

Ever since the "the worst days as a buff are still better than the best days as a husker" comment, I have been counting the days till his demise. Other than that I have no reason to dislike the guy. But one comment like that, and hes on my s*it list.

 

Some of you make too much out of that comment, why does it bother you so much, do you think a coach should come in and say "Why are you all here, Nebraska is better?" Get real, a college coaches job is to motivate his team and fan base and so long as it is done legally and ethically what difference does it make? If Pelini made some reference to CU that was off color and was used to motivate his team or fanbase I could care less but then I live in the heart of SEC country where that stuff happens daily and people are used to it. Maybe that is why the SEC gets rated higher, everyone is just tougher?

 

General population included.

[epocSoN]

Any differrent then the stuff Lane Kiffin has been spouting? Kiffin's were worse, he accused Meyer of cheating but sportswriters love him because he doesn't hold back.

No, I think Lane is generally a tool. He took it about 5 steps further than Hawkins. Saying something stupid and putting your foot in your mouth is one thing, accusing another coach of cheating is another.

[BeachBuffs]

Any differrent then the stuff Lane Kiffin has been spouting? Kiffin's were worse, he accused Meyer of cheating but sportswriters love him because he doesn't hold back.

No, I think Lane is generally a tool. He took it about 5 steps further than Hawkins. Saying something stupid and putting your foot in your mouth is one thing, accusing another coach of cheating is another.

 

yeah but is rallying his base, and what a better way to rally the base then for him to pick a fight with the head coach of Florida.....

[cscott2win]

It's not any different than Watts saying coaching at Nebraska is light years ahead of his days at Boulder. Back in the pre internet days coaches could say a lot of things to fire up their fan base. Now it seems anything they say just fires up the opponent's. If Stoops would have stated "10 wins, no excuses" nobody would have cared. Hawkins didn't state it other than at a team banquet. A bad day as a Buffalo is better than a good day as a Husker..... Well in all reality he's more qualified to make that statement now so who's to argue?