DAN HAWKINS Colorado inks Boise St. coach to 5-year deal

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) -- Colorado hired Dan Hawkins as its coach Friday, giving him responsibility for restoring the flagging reputation of a program hammered by problems on and off the field.
The university's governing Board of Regents voted unanimously to hire Hawkins and give him a five-year contract worth $900,000 a year, which includes $50,000 to run the school's summer football camps.
"This is a very good hire for this university," Chancellor Phil DiStefano said. "It's another sign that the athletic program is moving in the right direction."
Hawkins went 53-10 over the past five years at Boise State, winning the Western Athletic Conference four times -- including a tie for first with Nevada this season -- and building a reputation as someone who runs a clean-cut, forward-thinking program.
Hawkins replaces Gary Barnett, who was forced out last week after a troubled tenure that included a sordid recruiting scandal and allegations of financial mismanagement brought to light in a state audit released Monday.
Barnett's team also lost 70-3 to Texas in the Big 12 title game, a loss that accentuated how far CU has fallen from the elite program it once was in the early 1990s under Bill McCartney.
Hawkins recognized the challenges he faces, but said coming to Boulder was too good a fit to pass up. He also said he thrives when he's told something can't be done.
"The more they said that, the more I say, 'Oh yeah, you think so, I'll show you something,' " Hawkins said during his introductory news conference.
Many think the 45-year-old Hawkins would have been in line for some of the big openings last year -- like at Notre Dame or Florida -- had another up-and-comer, Urban Meyer, not done so well at Utah during the same season.