Dan Hawkins, Head Coach of the Alouettes ...

[MexicoLionFan]

I absolutely agree with Cro's assessment of Switzer...

[cromartie]

Here's the closest equivalent I have for you.

In The Waterboy, Bob Ackles noted that one of the coaches he thought highly of was Paul Hackett. He was a disaster at USC as a Head Coach, he was a disaster at Pitt as Head Coach, he was a disaster with the New York Jets as an OC, and despite having Joe Montana, Joe Horn and Marcus Allen at Kansas City he couldn't call an offense that could get the Chiefs to a Super Bowl.

Yet it's entirely likely that, were it not for the Feterik/Feteri duo, we would have ended up with this clown trying to coach the Lions. And you bet I would have been livid.

But I seem to be the only one with Hawkins. Not many Als fans seem to be upset.

[WestCoastJoe]

http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/cfl-55 ... 29982.html

Dan Hawkins is an unconventional hire in Montreal, one that’s risky but could be brilliant

.By Andrew Bucholtz | 55 Yard Line – Thu, 14 Feb, 2013 5:00 PM EST...

Dan Hawkins will be hoping his Montreal tenure works better than his Colorado one.

Dan Hawkins (no, not this guy) might be in for the most unusual job transition in the football world this year. Herb Zurkowsky of The Montreal Gazette reported Thursday that the Alouettes have settled on Hawkins as their new head coach to replace Marc Trestman (now the Chicago Bears' head coach). What's notable is that Hawkins' previous job wasn't as a CFL assistant, an NCAA coach or an NFL coach; instead, he was working as a NCAA TV analyst with ESPN. Hawkins has notable past coaching success, particularly with his 2001-2005 run as the head coach of Boise State, but he's been working with ESPN since he was fired as Colorado's head coach in 2010. He certainly has shown impressive coaching ability in the past, but his coaching tenures have been marred with notable failures as well, and now he'll have to not only get back into a coaching mindset but do so in a completely different league that he's never played or coached in. Hiring Hawkins is a big gamble for the Alouettes, but it's one that could potentially pay off.

In Hawkins' favour, what he accomplished with Boise State is worth plenty of plaudits. Under Hawkins, the Broncos won four Western Athletic Conference titles in five seasons and went 53-11 overall, a remarkable .828 winning percentage. Hawkins built on the foundation established by Dirk Koetter (currently the Atlanta Falcons' offensive coordinator) and set up the program for the run of glory it's since found under Chris Petersen. In a little over a decade, Boise State's gone from almost a complete unknown to a team that can negotiate its own sweetheart deal over television rights. Petersen should probably get most of the credit there, as he's elevated the Broncos to a new level, but what Hawkins and Koetter did to set the team up for that success is notable as well. If this was 2005, Hawkins would be an incredibly hot coaching commodity, and one who would never wind up in the CFL.

It's what's happened since then that makes Hawkins more controversial, though, and explains why he's headed to Canada instead of grabbing another NCAA job. Hawkins left Boise State for bigger-name Colorado, but was unable to repeat his success there, going 19-39 overall and just 10-27 in the Big 12. His Buffaloes teams only went to a single bowl in his five years (the 2007 Independence Bowl), and they lost it. When Hawkins was fired after a 3-6 start to the 2010 season (and less than a week after his team suffered the biggest collapse in the 121-year history of Colorado football, allowing Kansas to score 35 points in 11 minutes and pick up a 52-45 win), the Buffaloes paid him $2 million to go away. It was seen as "rock bottom" for the program, which still hasn't come close to recovering.

Hawkins' Colorado tenure was certainly notable, though. He started it off by losing to Montana State, he predicted a 10-win season (in 2009, a year where the team would win three games), he kept his son as the team's starting quarterback (despite occasionally trying to replace him), and perhaps most famously, he went on a "Go play intramurals, brother!" rant when a parent sent him an anonymous letter complaining about the team starting summer conditioning earlier than normal:

His announcing career has been marked by interesting moments, too, including saying that catching a ball is what a college player is "paid to do":

Could the Hawkins hire work out? Absolutely. Keep in mind that Trestman wasn't that different when Alouettes' GM Jim Popp hired him in 2008; he had no CFL experience and had bounced around from the pros to college, and his greatest success had been five years before he came to Canada. Moreover, Trestman had never been a head coach before the CFL: Hawkins at least has that experience going for him. The CFL game is a very different one, though, and it will take Hawkins time to adapt to it; it's also going to take him time to get back into the rhythm of coaching rather than TV work. If he can recapture his Boise State success, then this could work out very well, and Popp will get full credit for this bold decision. If not, Hawkins' next job might just be coaching intramurals.

Interesting hire by Popp, as it seems likely to be announced soon. Suffice to say that Hawkins has a checkered past.

In regard to Switzer once again, I was surprised that Jerry Jones reached rather deep to hire him with the Cowboys. It seemed a desperate attempt to establish his own bona fides as a football GM. And yet Switzer had had a huge amount of success at the college level. And it seems to me he deserves some credit for guiding the Cowboys to their last Super Bowl title. I seem to recall that he came across as something of a buffoon with the media. I was neutral towards him, and certainly was no fan of Jerry Jones. In Dallas it is all about Jones (and his family).

Re Hawkins again ...

http://www.montrealgazette.com/sports/f ... story.html

Trestman, named Chicago Bears’ head coach last month, was a guest coach with the Als at training camp in 2007, spending several days following the team. Similarly, Hawkins was invited to Raleigh, N.C. last spring, spending almost two weeks with Trestman and his assistant coaches, charting plans for the 2012 season. Indeed, Hawkins wanted to be added to the staff, volunteering his services, but Trestman expressed reluctance.

While Trestman refused Hawkins’s offer, Hawkins followed the Als’ season very closely, according to one of the sources.

Interesting that Trestman held those planning sessions in the US, and interesting that he invited non members of his staff. And even more interesting that he seemed cool to Hawkins offer of service with the Alouettes. So it is reported ...

[Toppy Vann]

Re Hawkins again ...

http://www.montrealgazette.com/sports/f ... story.html

Trestman, named Chicago Bears’ head coach last month, was a guest coach with the Als at training camp in 2007, spending several days following the team. Similarly, Hawkins was invited to Raleigh, N.C. last spring, spending almost two weeks with Trestman and his assistant coaches, charting plans for the 2012 season. Indeed, Hawkins wanted to be added to the staff, volunteering his services, but Trestman expressed reluctance.

While Trestman refused Hawkins’s offer, Hawkins followed the Als’ season very closely, according to one of the sources. -- Gazette

Interesting that Trestman held those planning sessions in the US, and interesting that he invited non members of his staff. And even more interesting that he seemed cool to Hawkins offer of service with the Alouettes. So it is reported ...

And I followed the Bombers and the Lions season very closely but that hardly qualifies me as HC. From all the controversy there is still something that says this guy is no Marc Trestman. Two things. I am looking back at the MT hire. Second a big but is the issue of how well a person can appreciate and learn the differences in the CFL and work with them but the other rumour of a US no CFL exper. OC makes that a bit of a challenge as 2/3 of the top roles (less ST) with no CFL experience and now mid February?

The planning sessions in the US are from what I recall quite usual as both Popp and Trestman would do this each year as both headed south out of Montreal for the off season. I am not a fan of that for a GM.

Outsiders there - not sure if that is new information but if Trestman consulted with others on plans I'd not be too surprised. Reading how he used to plan every minute of practice given the restricted practice times it is not a surprise. I know from Blitz that at times US college colleges who feel they are not getting the best of their Offense have shipped their play books to outside offensive specialists to review where this consultant will then make some subtle minor suggestions like adjust a REC or backs pass pattern in certain plays. Blitz was discussing (offline I think) when we were critiquing the old JC offense and getting our QBs killed or just running way too many crossing patterns.

Interesting that he did not want Hawkins around even for free. It certainly would not have been due to worries of job security as MT no doubt with his record could be the next Wally Buono there. That sometimes suggests that this guy had a different philosophy or ideas than MT or more basically, MT felt that might make his coaches feel insecure.

So if this guy gets the job, do we look to see who the Als guest coaches are from the US as that guy could be the next HC?

[cromartie]

The planning sessions in the US are from what I recall quite usual as both Popp and Trestman would do this each year as both headed south out of Montreal for the off season. I am not a fan of that for a GM.

Some GMs are football GMs, others are business side GMs, still others (like Wally) are a mixture of the three.

Popp and Trestman both live in the Raleigh, NC area during the offseason. Popp is a football GM who can step in and coach if need be. In a way, getting together out of the office and working on strategy is a good thing.

But if you give me the choice of a coach developed in the manner Mike B has, and one guy that an uber GM promotes from a guest coach stint with no CFL experience, I'll take the former over the latter 11 times out of 10.

[Toppy Vann]

The planning sessions in the US are from what I recall quite usual as both Popp and Trestman would do this each year as both headed south out of Montreal for the off season. I am not a fan of that for a GM.

Some GMs are football GMs, others are business side GMs, still others (like Wally) are a mixture of the three.

Popp and Trestman both live in the Raleigh, NC area during the offseason. Popp is a football GM who can step in and coach if need be. In a way, getting together out of the office and working on strategy is a good thing.

But if you give me the choice of a coach developed in the manner Mike B has, and one guy that an uber GM promotes from a guest coach stint with no CFL experience, I'll take the former over the latter 11 times out of 10.

The latter as you note is a preferred way- internal development including Canadian coaches - should be a stronger focus. Wally has done both allow for dev't of coaches and has always promoted the idea of Canadian coach development.

But the key in hiring a HC is how the former DC or OC sees the adjustments he must make to be a HC as it is a different job entirely. Stubler and Cortez and Berry had have great runs as Coordinators but failed in their shots at the HC role. It is a very different job.

As to GMs not FT living in their city...for me...this is wrong for the CFL where the issue is how to grow this game.

MTL for example is now not always filling their quite small stadium and to me a GM has to get out in the community and be visible or their marketing efforts to get top sponsors won't work. These guys also like to run elbows with the football side too.

Check out the voice of Dan Hawkins on CBC tape: Not the same style as MT at least in this short tape.

http://www.cbc.ca/daybreakmontreal/spor ... n-hawkins/

[TheLionKing]

As to GMs not FT living in their city...for me...this is wrong for the CFL where the issue is how to grow this game.

MTL for example is now not always filling their quite small stadium and to me a GM has to get out in the community and be visible or their marketing efforts to get top sponsors won't work. These guys also like to run elbows with the football side too.

Totally agree. It's wrong for any organization sports or otherwise for the General Manager to be living elsewhere other than the city where the team is located.

[274always]

The press conference is set for tomorrow. I don't think Hawkins is the next Trestman, he's the anti-trestman. He could have success but it will be with a totally different style. As Cro implies he could go 3-15. It will depend on how Thorpe's defence fairs for to me that is the key element. Not so wooried about our offensive potential.

Popp does have a house in west end montreal and his kids all go to school here. As for selling tix at Molson stadium the peak was reached in 2010. Now it's back to the butt-kissing days of Larry Smith. They have a contest 13 in 13. Any new season ticekt holders before March 13 enter a contest to win a chance to spend one evening with AC at a restaurant. Nice idea, except present season ticket holders are now complaining why they can't enter the contest. It's gonna be a mess here in 2013.

[squishy35]

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=416300

NCAA coach. 52 years old.

[squishy35]

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=416300

TSN reporting Hawkins will be introduced tomorrow....

[Toppy Vann]

And they say the US guy will be name as OC. If there was a GM I'd not question based on a pretty fine record with coaches and players it is Jim Popp.

But there are two kinds of coaches that come up from the USA. Winning ones and ones who bomb badly who just don't get the nuances of the CFL and try to play in a way that leads to disaster.

If this were not Popp doing it I think it would not go down well with the fans in MTL but even the link to the CBC guy had him saying this same thing. All seem to cut Jim Popp some slack and for good reason.

If the OC and AC aren't on the same page, I wonder what AC would do? He is not about to work in a system at his stage that is not quick release as of any QB in the CFL he is not effective when he gets any sort of hits in a game. He is also at an age where I doubt he can take a huge hit.

[TheLionKing]

RDS is also reporting that Hawkins is a done deal. Should be interesting to see how fast he grasp the nuances of the CFL

[DanoT]

Als will need someone with CFL experience on the sidelines during games making game time HC decisions or at least advising the HC. That guy might be Popp.

[274always]

Als will need someone with CFL experience on the sidelines during games making game time HC decisions or at least advising the HC. That guy might be Popp.

More like Doug Berry.

http://en.montrealalouettes.com/article ... head-coach

[B.C.FAN]

Hawkins brought an American-sized coaching staff with him, appointing 11 assistants. That's the biggest staff of any CFL team. The Lions have 8 assistants.