Boulder – This is the last spring Colorado’s football team will head into the potential cold and damp conditions on the second Monday in March, a day nearly every man, woman and child in the country spends indoors filling out NCAA Tournament brackets.
Next year, the Buffs will open spring drills in a new practice bubble, scheduled for completion this fall.
Entering his second season, CU coach Dan Hawkins hopes this is the last spring he has to devote to turning around a losing mind-set. A year ago, CU tried to rid itself of the 2005 Big 12 championship debacle against eventual national champion Texas. When the Buffs hit the practice field Monday, it will mark the first official step in exorcising the hangover of a 2-10 season.
“We’re going to work a lot on the whole mentality. That encompasses a lot of things. It means getting out of survivor mode and into driver mode,” Hawkins said.
Every coach carries a wish list for spring ball – filling in the blanks left by player departures, building depth, schematic tweaks, and in some years, the obligatory quarterback battle.
CU is no exception, but the obvious isn’t necessarily that obvious.
While fans remain eager to get their first look at the coach’s son, redshirt freshman quarterback Cody Hawkins, the coach is talking up junior college newcomer Nick Nelson and senior incumbent Bernard Jackson.
“When I walk out on that grass, they are all my boys,” the CU coach said. “It’s great to have competition. It’s great to have experience as it pertains to Bernard. Nick is not experienced with us but he’s won a lot of games (11-1 with Saddleback College).”
While Jackson was the ironman preserving the younger Hawkins’ redshirt year, Cody Hawkins still immersed himself in the offense.
Don’t look for a resolution by April. Coach Hawkins wants to see how everyone works over the summer before naming a starter in preseason drills. Regardless of who lines up under center, more production is essential.
“The offense didn’t generate enough big plays, the passing game didn’t generate a lot,” Hawkins said. “This is a rebuilding culture, and we have to rebuild confidence.”
While Jackson made strides in the final three games, CU didn’t score more than 13 points in a game until the sixth week of the season, and that required three overtimes in a loss to Baylor.
As much work as there is ahead, it’s still less daunting than a year ago. Everyone on the coaching staff has been together for a full year, and many are familiar with the lone newcomer, offensive line coach Jeff Grimes.
Hawkins has been encouraged by reports from the offseason strength and conditioning program.
“All the way across the board we’re stronger,” Hawkins said. “But that’s part of what spring football is. It’s great to be a weight- room guy or a film-room guy, but ultimately you have to make the plays.”
Spring football
FACTS
Practices: 15 total, seven before spring break (March 24-April 1), eight after.
First practice: Monday.
First day in pads: Saturday.
Scrimmages: Saturday, March 22, April 6.
Spring game: April 14, 1 p.m., Folsom Field
Natalie Meisler can be reached at 303-954-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com.
