This just in: Dan Hawkins does not have the support of all of his players. After weeks upon weeks of select players saying "it isn't the coaches fault" or "we are behind the coaches 100%," Darrell Scott did what all of us were thinking and leads us to believe that Dan Hawkins does not have the pulse of his team. The press conference last week where Hawkins pretty much pleaded for his job, reading emails about how great he was and how he does things "the right way" all makes sense now. The problem is "the right way" doesn't mean winning football games.
Gone is Darrell Scott, the Buffs leading all purpose player in 2009. The number one recruit, 6'2" 220 pounds. Gone is Josh Smith, who led the Buffs in all purpose yards in 2008. But both were supposedly not capable of playing on offense for some reason. You can lead the team in all purpose yards but are not good enough to play on the offensive side of the ball, was the message that was sent. On the bench is 6'3" 210 pound WR Andre Simmons because the playbook is too hard on a 15 - 30 team. Converted speedy cornerback turned receiver Anthony Wright is no where to be found. WR Markques Simas' potential is still untapped. Remember Kai Maiava. For all the promise we hear about certain players on the Buffs offensive line and two supposed first round draft picks, they continue to underperform mightily.
Everyone has a theory why certain player's aren't playing and some are leaving but regardless of whether they are valid or not, ultimately in Dan Hawkins' fourth year as a head coach, he has lost his top two all purpose players in back to back years, is 15 - 30 as a head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes, has not found the right combination of players/recruiting to field a competitive team on the offensive side of the ball (or anywhere for that matter) and the saddest part of the whole deal and the complete disservice to the kids, he has not developed player talent. Flat out, players have not gotten better in this program. We talked about it in the past but it is hard to name a player who has gotten better. And that is shame to young men who sign to play with the Colorado Buffaloes and hope to fulfill a dream.What today's events also shows is that it isn't as rosy in the Buffs' locker room as Dan Hawkins tries to make it out to be. It isn't all peachy like a few select players make it out to be. The program isn't going in the right direction like Mike Bohn thinks it is. Overall, it is a mess and the people running the ship are not capable. The perspective of Colorado football is out of focus right now where the goal is not winning. It isn't. Argue it all you want but winning isn't the goal and that is the problem. It can't be because you don't lose players for no apparent reason when they believe the ship is being steered in the right direction.
Symbolically, this is a bad day. I can only imagine the negative perspective this news will have on a national level. Think about potential recruits now. They will be saying, "if they can't keep Darrell Scott happy, can they keep me happy?" The ramifications of this is big and once again, on a national level, Colorado is a laughing stock. Every single coach the Buffs go up against in a recruiting battle will only have to utter two words to the kid to get his attention about the red flags in going to Colorado: Darrell Scott.
As for Darrell Scott, I wish him the best. I hope the injury bug that has plagued him over the past two years goes away and that he is wildly successful at his next stop. He had to do what was best for him and I can honestly say, I think he made the right choice and I know, man to man, no Buff fan would disagree with that statement. And once again, isn't that a taste of reality? I'm sorry because Darrell Scott didn't even get a shot. On a 15 - 30 team, he didn't get a shot. We never really knew what he had.
As a Buff fan, it is sad to say that this isn't the best situation for a player. It might be the best place for you to get an education and become a better man, but to try and better yourself to make millions of dollars at the next level, win games and set collegiate records, the University of Colorado is not the best place for you. I am all for players earning time and proving that they are worthy but this team is a 15 - 30 the last four years. What evidence do we have that says this coaching staff was playing the best with a record like that? None.
Whether you think Darrell Scott was the second best running back on the team or not, you can't argue that the current product is getting it done and that is main point here. There is no sign or glimmer of hope that it will get any better in the future either. Sure, Darrell Scott might not be the #1 running back in the nation as he was dubbed a couple years ago and I have no problem with playing Rodney Stewart but the main concern is the Buffs' haven't shown that they can be competitive, regardless of who is in the game. Unless you are winning games, you better find ways to play playmakers or recruit them and this now points to the fact that they people running the show have failed to do both.
Nothing else needs to be said. This situation is something you could see coming from a mile away. And I wouldn't be shocked if this is only the beginning.