Everyone wants to talk after a win but how about the times when you are forced to meet the press after a loss, especially when the team is struggling. You learn more from those words than you do in victory. That said, here are the quotes and emotions following CU's loss to CSU, courtesy of Dave Plati's sports information office and cubuffs.com.
"This team is going to grow. We continue putting guys into the first and the sense of urgency and anxiety level goes up and we have to push that envelope a little bit."
“Our guys are starting to grow and get some confidence. I thought we made leaps and bounds from last week.”
Breakdown: What else do you expect a coach to say other than he believes in his staff and the players? That's candy for the gullible. However, it would be easy to feel extreme pressure jumping from Boise State to the Big 12 and falling flat on your face in the first two games of your tenure. Hawkins doesn't seemed fazed at all and know what? That's exactly what you hope to see in a coach. Hawkins is determined, has no sense of panic, realizes, as he has expressed before, that winning is a process, and that he knows it will get done.
He is giving guys opportunities every day and that has to be a strong motivating force for the team, knowing you aren't buried on the depth chart, no matter your class or how hotly recruited you were. It also means that no one's job is safe, which is outstanding for competition.
Breakdown: Jackson looked strong out of the gate, like you imagine a long-sitting, frustrated talent like him would but he didn't sustain it and didn't put all doubt to bed about who should be starting under center and leading the CU offense. Can he make plays down the field with his arm, making his running more effective? Maybe we'll learn to find out against Arizona State.
Hawkins on starting Jackson against the Sun Devils: "It's hard to wrestle with that. We thought Bernard did some really good things for us in there today. We'll just get out and evaluate where we are. You know we don't want to play musical chairs every week. But I thought the team responded really well to him today."
Breakdown: Oh my, hardly committal, is it? Of course, Jackson didn't do enough to earn that commitment. This reads as Hawkins likes Jackson's physical talents but is wrestling with whether he can offer enough skills and diversity to the CU offense. Hawkins has not made a decision as to whom will start against ASU. He ideally doesn't wish to keep trying to find the hot hand but he might be forced into that for another week or two because, as they say, when you have a quarterback controversy, that means you don't have one guy who stands out. Think about this, Brian White went from what seemed like sure starter to bench warmer. James Cox lasted one game. Reality is Hawkins has to stick with Jackson for a while, barring a complete meltdown, or else have his team, itself, wonder if any of the quarterbacks can play.
Hawkins on rebuilding confidence: "We're working on restoring the confidence level of the entire University of Colorado. If you are a man of character and a man of integrity, you survive, you thrive and you march on."
Breakdown: Did Bill McCartney just walk into the room? Man, Hawkins knows how to speak honey, and have me ready to run through walls. How can you not appreciate that he is astute enough to realize the mountain he has to climb and yet doesn't wince one bit. He is expecting good things but knows it is going to be a rough ride to the winner's circle.
Hawkins on critics: “You have the doubters and they don’t know that when you are in the fire you get the highs and the lows. When you stand outside the fire, it is easy to laugh and guffaw.”
Breakdown: Is he talking about me? Come on, coach, I don't even know what guffaw means. Is that a Boise word? We-um Buffaloes don't talk that language. He's right, there are doubters all around us in this life and when you're battling something, there are going to be peaks and valleys and it's all part of the ride. You have to remain as steady and stoic as that automaton and ex-Red, former Nebraska coach Tom Osborne.
Breakdown: O.K., Wright's words are not as moving as "we are dominating people right now and it feels great to be 2-0 and ready to blow Arizona State out" but it is fairly factual. Conference play hasn't started yet (thankfully) and a loss is in the past, two of them, even. The Buffs defense has a chance to be above average if the front plays as well as it did Saturday against the run and turns up the pass rush just a little more. The offense? No quarterback, no points. The jury is still out on that one. Someone, by default, is going to win the coaches support. Who wants it? So far, no one, at least not bad enough. Sure Joel Klatt doesn't have one more year of eligibility?
Crowder letter speaks volumes to those who listen
Former head coach and athletic director Eddie Crowder wrote a letter, printed in the Daily Camera Sept. 9, in support of the administration, athletic department and football coach Dan Hawkins. For Crowder to be moved to passionately express his emotions in a public way shows how convinced the new coach is the man to lead the university.
It also is telling how frustrated he is that the media or fans are already doubting Hawkins and his sparkling track record of success, that building something takes time, rough moments and adjustments.
For Crowder to end his letter, or epistile as he wrote, with "I would be derelict to fail to speak up in celebration of knowing that the future of this university is one of victory and greatness in all quadrants, including football" speaks volumes. Why lay it all on the line when Hawkins had coached one game on the Buffaloes sideline? How could anyone know that any coach was going to be a sure-fire success? Yet, Crowder, who has seen much in his long association with CU, knows, that's right, knows something is special about Hawkins and wasn't afraid to say it.
Crowder is not simply crying for patience and understanding for Hawkins. He know the situation the man is coming into, the challenge before him and his ability to triumph over it all.
Listen to Hawkins, too and if you do closely, you can hear his commitment, resolve, lack of fear and understanding.
It says here that Crowder has given Hawkins a great gift when he didn't have to do anything. It says here that Hawkins is going to win at CU. A national championship? Calling that is too bold a step, even for this forum, but the strong feeling here is that he is going to give the Buffaloes followers and fans many a shining moment.
In time.
If people can wait their turn in the football line of accomplishment.
Moneymakers
How did the Buffs fare in the NFL this weekend? Here's a quick rundown.
Dan Graham, TE, Patriots had one catch for 23 yards against the Bills.
Lawrence Vickers, RB, Browns, two carries for no yards against the Saints.
Chris Brown, RB, Titans, 16 carries for 64 yards and one catch for four yards against the Jets.
Michael Lewis, DB, Eagles, three tackles, one sack and one pass defensed against the Texans.
D.J. Hackett, WR, Seahawks, one catch for 14 yards against the Lions.
TheTruth
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