Buffs QB Contest...Stoops Gets Mad...Gill Hires Long To Run Jays Offense

Posted: 29 July, 2010

Colorado enters preseason workouts without a starting quarterback for the third year in a row. For the second straight year, the contenders are Cody Hawkins, coach Dan Hawkins' son, and Tyler Hansen. Hawkins started the first five games last year but was replaced during the Buffs' worst offensive game of the year - a 38-14 loss at Texas. Hansen started the remaining seven games. Dan Hawkins said the coaching staff planned to decide about two weeks before the Sept. 4 opener against Colorado State in Denver. If last year's stats are any indication, it could be a split decision. Colorado was 1-4 with Hawkins as the starter, 2-5 under Hansen. Hawkins, a senior this year, threw for 1,277 yards with 10 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Hansen, now a junior, had 1,440 yards with eight TDs and seven interceptions, including three in a season-ending loss to Nebraska. The Buffs were last in the Big 12 in total offense and 10th in scoring in 2009.

TEXAS/OU

Texas coach Mack Brown used to acknowledge an "Oklahoma Problem" each year he came to Big 12 media day during a five-game losing streak to the Sooners that included blowout losses of 63-14 and 65-13. Sooners coach Bob Stoops had no interest in acknowledging a "Texas Problem" on Wednesday after losing to the Longhorns four of the past five years. He was quick to point out the Sooners won three straight Big 12 titles in that time frame when no other team in league history has even won back-to-back crowns, a rant that ended with a reporter asking if that was a "no."   "I don't have a yes or a no," Stoops said. "My point is our goal isn't just to beat Texas. Our goal is to win the Big 12 championship and win the national championship. In the end, we've been in four national championship games in 10 years. I don't know if it's a problem or not. It's a pretty good one if it is." Brown vouched for Stoops by saying his "problem" was getting blown out by the Sooners twice.  "You shouldn't ever get beaten like we were beaten. I put that
solely back on me," Brown said. "Our games with Oklahoma have been tight. They'll continue to be tight. Bob's got one of the great programs in the country."
     
GILL HIRES LONG TO LEAD JAYHAWKS OFFENSE

Kansas coach Turner Gill said he used to talk to former Iowa quarterback Chuck Long about the pair being on the same
staff, even when Gill was the head coach at Buffalo and Long had the same job at San Diego State. Long was fired after a 2-10 season with the Aztecs in 2008 and was out of coaching when Gill called about joining him at Kansas as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. The Heisman Trophy runner-up to Bo Jackson in 1985, Long spent eight years in the NFL with Detroit and the Los Angeles Rams and started his coaching career with his alma mater in 1995. Four years
later, he went to Oklahoma and coached Heisman runner-up Josh Heupel when the Sooners won the 2000 national championship. He also coached Heisman winner Jason White at OU.  "You can go on and on about the accolades he's done as a coach. That speaks for itself," Gill said. "But more importantly, I really love what he's all about as a man. A lot of the guys that I hire on the staff, I really try to hire people who really have a passion to develop young people."