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Picking a fight with Neill Woelk

Posted December 15, 2007

I'm back from a little pre-holiday mini-vacation and I've decided to take issue with Neill Woelk and what he wrote in today's Daily Camera. What's more fun than a little cyberspace scrap with a fellow employee?

Neill says it's time to give CU coach Dan Hawkins a contract extension.

I'm not buying it. Here is why.

There is no reason to do it right now. Neill justifies an extension by saying Hawkins could be the target of big-time programs looking for a coach a year from now if he has a great season in Boulder next fall. The two operative words there being could and if.

Facing a schedule that includes road games at Florida State, Missouri, Kansas, Texas A&M and Nebraska and home games against West Virginia, Texas and Oklahoma State, I think it will be a challenge for next year's team to be much better than this year's squad, making the possibility of Hawkins being a hot commodity less likely.

But even if Neill's hypothetical situation becomes reality and Hawkins is a hot commodity a year from now, I doubt Hawkins would leave Colorado for more than a small handful of schools most of which are in the western United States. Since coming to CU, Hawkins has said on numerous occasions that he's not motivated by money. I believe him.

Let's be honest, Hawkins was courted by multiple schools, including the likes of Notre Dame, before he came to CU. If the man had dollar signs for eyeballs, he wouldn't be in Boulder right now. He values quality of life as much as anything and there are only a handful of places in the nation that can compete with CU in that regard and also put Hawkins in position to compete for national titles.

I also believe that shortlist of schools (places such as Oregon, Washington and California) are pretty unlikely to need coaches next season. But, I acknowledge, you never know.

Neill says giving Hawkins an extension would demonstrate the administration's commitment to continuing to build a great program. I honestly can't imagine Hawkins is sitting in his office today wondering if Chancellor G.P. Bud Peterson and athletic director Mike Bohn are really committed to having a great football program. They have raised his budget by $4 million in two years. I think he knows they are committed. If not, he ought to.

Neill also downplays the potential disaster effects of prematurely awarding an extension. I happen to agree with Neill that Hawkins is on the right track and will eventually rebuild the Buffs to an elite-level program. But If I'm Mike Bohn and I just paid Gary Barnett more than $3 million for not getting the job done, I might be a little gun-shy about providing too much security to a coach who has an 8-16 record as my employee.

I'm also doubting Hawkins is going to want to leave CU for another rebuilding project right when he's really getting things going with his players in his system in Boulder.

The one area where I am in total agreement with Neill here is the need for CU to increase the pay of Hawkins' assistant coaches. This is a talented staff and most of these coaches can easily leave for higher paying jobs whenever they want to. I continue to be dumbfounded every year that someone hasn't been wise enough to hire Brian Cabral as a head coach.

I wouldn't be surprised if Hawkins took his $50,000 bowl bonus and split it between his assistants as a little pat on the back. But that is a drop in the bucket. They should be paid on the same level (on average) with their counterparts in the Big 12 Conference.

I think you wait a year to give Hawkins an extension. If the team produces similar or better results next season and continues to produce good students and good citizens, he will deserve it.

If he bolts CU for some hole willing to pay him megamillions, we will know he wasn't exactly honest about his motivations. But I think he is being honest, and I think Hawkins will be a Buff for a long time regardless of whether that extension comes now or a year from now.