Woelk: Close may not be enough to change CU equation - Boulder Daily Camera

Today, however, the equation remains virtually the same as it was 24 hours ago. A head coach in his fourth season with twice as many losses as victories to his credit and a 3-8 record heading into the last game of the year. A young team with talent and promise, but one that has been unable to produce anything remotely resembling consistency as the program lurches toward its fourth consecutive losing season. As a friend of mine remarked after Thursday night's game, the Buffs played valiantly. They played with heart — but they did not play (or coach) smart. But today, a decision to retain Hawkins for another season would be a gamble that the mistakes and stumbles that became the calling card of this year's team could somehow be eliminated. That's a gamble I'm not convinced CU's administrators are willing to make — even if making a change is a decision that will cost millions. What Thursday night displayed once again is what CU fans have seen for much of this season. These Buffs are not a team bereft of talent. Whoever roams CU's sidelines next year will not be working with a bare cupboard.

Kiszla: Throw Hawkins to the Bohn fire - The Denver Post

The love is gone. There is nothing left for Dan Hawkins to do except say goodbye, and nowhere for him to go except out the door. A good man has failed as football coach of the Buffaloes. The only logical choice Colorado athletic director Mike Bohn has now? Fire Hawkins.

What We Learned: Hawkins back on the hot seat - Dave Curtis - College Football - Sporting News
Great point about the last four possessions of the game:

The buzz about Dan Hawkins getting dismissed (and bought out) at Colorado grew hot not because the Buffs lost by three on the road to a ranked team Thursday night. The bad vibes are back because of how things went down. Colorado's final four offensive possessions ended with a missed 49-yard field goal, a turnover on downs (incomplete pass on fourth-and-2 at the Oklahoma State 28), a fumble near midfield and a punt with 2:45 remaining. The Buffs either led by four or trailed by three points on each occasion yet ended with another loss, sending Hawkins' record at CU to 16-32 (and 2-20 on the road).

Regents likely to support buyout if CU fires Hawkins - Boulder Daily Camera

Several members of the Colorado Board of Regents said Friday they would be willing to approve a buyout for football coach Dan Hawkins if chancellor Phil DiStefano and athletic director Mike Bohn decide firing the fourth-year coach is the right move. Republican Regent Tom Lucero said while he wouldn`t vote against a buyout that could cost nearly $3.5 million, he believes Hawkins deserves at least one more year to build the program he envisioned when he came to CU in December of 2005 to replace former coach Gary Barnett, who was fired. "I`m a huge fan of Dan Hawkins and I am of the opinion that the guy needs at least one more year. Plain and simple," Lucero said.

Bohn mum on Hawk - The Denver Post

"Evaluation is always ongoing," Bohn said Friday, when asked about Hawkins' job status. Speculation that Hawkins is on his way out is rampant. Rumors that he has agreed to a buyout are inaccurate, Bohn said. The athletic director emphasized he has not made a decision on whether Hawkins will be retained. It would cost Colorado approximately $3.1 million to buy out Hawkins' contract. Asked if his cash- strapped athletic department can pay for that, Bohn said it was premature to address specifics of a buyout because no decision on Hawkins' future has been made. In the past, Bohn has used the words "doable but challenging" when talking in general terms about securing the resources to cover such a settlement. Bohn is scheduled to leave this morning for a flight to Hawaii, where he will join the CU men's basketball team for the Maui Invitational. He is scheduled to return to Boulder on Thanksgiving, a day before the football season finale. Bohn reiterated that no decision will be announced while he is out of town. "I can guarantee you that," he said.

CU issues no official word on Hawkins’ future - The Longmont Times-Call

Athletic director Mike Bohn said once again, following Thursday’s 31-28 loss at Oklahoma State, that no decision has been made on the coaching situation and no timeline exists for one. Bohn said he’ll leave today for Maui to watch the Buffs men’s basketball team play Monday through Wednesday. Quarterback Tyler Hansen raised some eyebrows Thursday when he said, "We always get told that coach Hawkins is solid right now. His job is pretty certain, and he’s going to be here." But Bohn declined to say anything about Hansen’s comment, only reiterating that there’s no timeline for a decision.

Big plays cost CU defense again - Boulder Daily Camera
Didn't even notice:

Wide receiver Andre Simmons made his first start but did not make a catch

Kiesau`s decision could save CU cash - Boulder Daily Camera

Athletic director Mike Bohn would have been considering two buyouts if one of Dan Hawkins` assistant coaches had made a different decision two years ago. Offensive coordinator Eric Kiesau was offered one of six multi-year contracts available at the school as an enticement to remain in Boulder instead of taking a job with Oregon, sources confirmed to the Camera. Kiesau, who was wide receivers coach at the time, opted not to accept the multi-year deal because, like every other multi-year contract at the school, it contained a buyout clause requiring him to pay CU money if he wanted to leave before it expired. Kiesau said he didn`t want to comment on the subject when asked about it recently. Kiesau makes $217,776 annually, and likely would have been owed that sum times the number of years remaining on his contract if CU decided to part ways with the entire coaching staff at the end of the season.

Thumb doesn’t stop Colorado’s Hansen - The Longmont Times-Call
Considering the defense was missing two of their best players, they did a pretty good job against Oklahoma State:

CU linebackers Jeff Smart (pinched nerve in his neck) and B.J. Beatty (concussion) did not play. Beatty did not make the trip. Smart was on the sideline, but not in uniform. Stewart suffered a shoulder bruise and is probable for Nebraska. Center Keenan Stevens suffered a sprained ankle and is also probable. Hansen said he thinks he might have sprained ligaments in his right thumb, which is the same one he broke during the spring game last April. He hit it on a helmet Thursday night in the second quarter.

Who's hot and who's not across the Big 12 - Big 12 Blog - ESPN

Not: Dan Hawkins: The Colorado coach’s record is 2-19 in games played at opponent's stadiums since starting his tenure with the Buffaloes in 2006.

Colorado's Tyler Hansen: "It’s real disappointing we were that close." | NewsOK.com

→Colorado running back Brian Lockridge on his kickoff return for a touchdown "I had some great blockers, I just ran as fast as I can and made a play on the kicker. I owed one to the team and it was a pivotal time in the game, and that’s what we needed in a response to their score. I was grateful to give the team a score, but it didn’t end quite the way we wanted it to."