CUBuffs.com: Quarterbacks . . . does anybody go in (to spring drills) as the leader?
Hawkins: "No. We'll just see how it shakes out. And to some degree we do that everywhere. I mean there's a few spots where you've got guys who obviously - guys like Jalil (Brown) and Jimmy (Smith, both cornerbacks) - certainly have an edge.
"But I've never liked it in the spring when you go, 'Oh, yeah, he's the starting (whatever).' And obviously in the O-line you've got some guys who are more experienced. I expect (Mike) Iltis to get back in there and battle and see where he shakes out - whether that's a center/guard. There's going to be tremendous competition in that whole front line.
"I just don't like coming into the spring and saying, 'He's the starting whatever,' because to me, you've just got to start over and say let's see who's going to play and do the things it takes to be successful.
"Both of those guys (Hansen and Cody Hawkins) will play with the 'ones' and the 'twos' and we'll evaluate them every day and see what happens in the scrimmages. And then see where we're at."
CUBuffs.com: Would you think that by the spring game (April 10) you would have one of those guys named your starter?
Hawkins: "I think after the spring game you'd like to, but you just have to wait and see where you're at. If there's a clear emergence or a strong feeling one way or another amongst the guys on the staff, you do it. If there's not, there's not."
CUBuffs.com: What did Hansen show you and the staff during his time last fall as the starter that . . . (question unfinished).
Hawkins: "Well, his athleticism always helps - being able to run always helps you. But they're both very similar kids; they're very smart and good leaders and they're what you want in terms of toughness, work ethic and leadership.
"I've always said Tyler is more athletic and has a stronger arm. Cody probably has a little edge in understanding what's going on, and his accuracy. Where Tyler's arm is probably a little stronger, I think Cody is probably a little more accurate, and where Tyler can run around a little bit more, I think Cody . . . but again, I think there's just a sliver (of difference) when it comes down to it."
CUBuffs.com: Does their going into spring ball even . . . what kind of message does that send to Tyler?
Hawkins: "Well, they've all got to compete. It's the same thing when Cody was the starter when he was a freshman. You gotta compete. You've gotta want to compete, you gotta like to compete. I think that's for the rest of the team as well. We haven't treated that situation any differently any year, or any position for that matter."
CUBuffs.com: But with that position being under the microscope that it always is, with that position getting the attention it did last fall, does this figure to be an unpopular decision out there, in your mind?
Hawkins: "Don't know . . . don't know. But I think the other thing you have to consider is, if you have a guy who was your starter and really, you look at Cody's situation when he was a freshman, he did win six games and go to a bowl game, and then we said, 'You gotta compete' (in spring ball).
"So it's one thing if you go out and win seven, eight, nine games and we say, 'You're going to compete.' But when you go 3-9 and we're not going to open it up to competition? You're going to say somebody's an incumbent? I have a hard time with that when you win 10, let alone when you win three."
. Also check out his take on the offensive coordinator position. Looks like he's still gonna micromanage...
