BOULDER, Colo.—The Colorado Buffaloes didn’t land a flashy prized recruit this year, just a fleet of fill-a-need type players.
Then again, glamour is in the eye of the recruiter, and coach Dan Hawkins was brimming at his bounty.
The Buffaloes received letters of intent from 19 players Wednesday, including Nick Kasa, a coveted defensive lineman from Thornton, Colo., who spurned the reigning national champion Florida Gators in favor of the Buffs.
“I like these guys. I like their pedigree,” Hawkins said.
There was no one like Darrell Scott, the highly touted tailback who picked CU over Texas last February, and Rivals.com ranked the Buffaloes’ incoming class ninth in the Big 12.
That mattered little to Hawkins.
“I’m not sure where Kurt Warner was ranked when he came out of high school, but he’s pretty good,” Hawkins said of the Arizona Cardinals quarterback who just played in his third Super Bowl.
The gem of Colorado’s recruits is Kasa, a standout high school player who was all set to sign with Florida after verbally committing to the Gators in November. Soon after, Hawkins said he congratulated Kasa, but told him to keep the Buffs in mind if he had second thoughts.
And sure enough, Kasa changed course and decided to stay in his home state.
That’s what giving a player some space can do—and reminding him that if he changes his mind, there’s a place for him.
“I know how much pressure they’re under,” Hawkins said. “I know how many spitballs are getting thrown at them every single day. What I try to do is allow them to come to their decision naturally.”
That’s how Hawkins operates—don’t overwhelm a recruit, just give them the facts. Hawkins showed his entire hand to Kasa—other players the team was recruiting, where Kasa stood, everything.
“You have to decide what’s great for you,” Hawkins said. “Are you buying the car you want, or are you buying the car that’s being shoved down your throat?”
Of the 19 players signed, five were from Colorado—all part of Hawkins’ plan. It’s the third straight year Hawkins has sealed up the state’s top product, landing offensive tackle Ryan Miller in 2007 and linebacker Jon Major last year.
“You always start in your own backyard,” Hawkins said. “You certainly want to get the best and brightest at your place and keep them home. But you also know some kids just want to get out of Dodge. But it’s definitely a priority.”
So was bolstering both sides of the ball after a lackluster 5-7 season in Hawkins’ third year at Boulder. The Buffaloes added nine players on offense, eight defenders and a kicker, Zach Grossnickle. The Buffaloes struggled with field goals last season as Aric Goodman and Jameson Davis went a combined 6-for-17.
Colorado also brought in Josh Moten, a player out of Carson, Calif., who’s listed as an athlete.
However, Moten, along with Clark Evans—another California kid—will get a shot at quarterback.
So much for the notion that quarterbacks wouldn’t come to Colorado as long as the coach’s son, Cody, was running the show.
“Everybody is going to use any ounce of negative recruiting they can against you. You know people are throwing that stuff out there,” said Dan Hawkins, who rotated his son and Tyler Hansen last season when the team went into a slide. “Most guys, once they meet Cody, and understand the situation, they usually go, ‘OK, I’m good with that.'”
The Buffaloes went after receivers in this class, as well. Not just any receivers, but tall, lanky ones. Jarrod Darden, Terdema Ussery and Andre Simmons are all 6-foot-3 or taller—just like explosive Texas Tech wideout Michael Crabtree.
“I think it’s a very athletic class,” Hawkins said.
And no tricks to get his guys.
Just a solid sales pitch.
“There’s a certain sort of natural bliss that’s awesome when that guy comes to the decision because that’s what he really wants to do, not because you beat him over the head until he cried uncle,” Hawkins said.
