ERIE — With several new faces among the Colorado coaching staffs, and a football coach still trying to win over the public, Monday was the right time to kick off a four-day “CU Coaches Tour” of the state.
The school is reviving a former tradition of touring the state to greet fans. The last department-wide bus tour was in 1999.
Before boarding a shiny bus adorned with the school colors, one bound for stops in Colorado Springs and Pueblo, Buffs coaches greeted a group of boosters at the Colorado National Golf Course in Erie.
But it was football coach Dan Hawkins who made ears perk up a little more than the others, with a state-of-the-program talk.
“Guys, trust me: we are that far away,” said Hawkins, holding two fingers less than an inch apart. “Nobody wants to be close to having a good marriage and nobody wants to be close to winning football games. We’ve just got to build a little confidence, build a little momentum. We had a good spring. We are way faster than we’ve ever been. All our numbers were way, way lower than they’ve ever been before. Our strength numbers continue to go up. I think our guys are very poised and they’ve got to have a great summer.”
Hawkins heads into his fifth season at CU with a 16-33 mark. The Buffs will wear replicas of their 1990, national championship uniforms for home games this season. Hawkins isn’t promising a national championship, but remains optimistic this could be the year the program gets back to solid winning ways following a 3-8 season.
“It’s like taking out pavement; you’ve just got to keep pounding and pounding. (Sometimes) nothing happens and nothing happens and pretty soon there’s a little crack and it falls away,” Hawkins said. “When we get this thing turned around a little bit, it will be because of only a couple little things. It won’t be anything huge.”
New CU basketball coaches — Tad Boyle and Linda Lappe — got to know more fans and boosters Monday. Boyle’s one guarantee was that his men’s team would “play hard and as a unit every night” and placed a premium on finding “guys with character” on recruiting trips.
Lappe, a former Buff player under Ceal Barry, spoke excitedly over getting a chance to return the program to the excellence of Barry’s tenure. Lappe also confirmed that she recently interviewed former Texas Tech and WNBA star Sheryl Swoopes for one of the team’s vacant assistant coaching jobs.
After an off day Tuesday, the tour will continue Wednesday in the Edwards/Vail/Dillon areas. Thursday will see stops in Fort Morgan and Greeley, and Friday will be Loveland and Broomfield. Another tour is slated for later this summer in Western Slope locations.
Adrian Dater: 303-954-1360 or adater@denverpost.com
