Truth is, the lid on his pine box has been pretty much fastened since a double-whammy a few weeks back: a nutty late October press conference in which he tried to explain away the Buffs' 20-6 loss to Kansas State and the subsequent decision by prize recruit Darrell Scott to bail.
That makes the Cody comments less a fatal gaffe than a depressing coda to a dispiriting era in CU football.
At this point, I doubt if even the preternaturally loquacious Hawkins believes such confessions can save his job -- not with open speculation about his successor running rampant even before the squad's final game of the season, against Nebraska, has taken place. (Latest fantasy candidate: Texas Christian's Gary Patterson. Which would be great, but it ain't gonna happen.) From my point of view, this was a legitimate moment of self-examination, with Hawkins wondering aloud how everything went so wrong following his strong run at Boise State.
This kind of thing typically happens in the privacy of one's own thoughts. Yet Hawkins shared it with the public at large, no doubt to the discomfort of Cody and the rest of the family. Bet this is gonna be a fun Thanksgiving for them.
I take no pleasure in watching this last chapter play out. Even Hawkins' most vocal detractors would have to agree that he's tried hard to make CU a winner -- to no avail, unfortunately. He's a sincere, if overly excitable, guy who simply wasn't ready for prime time, and he'd be better served if he limited his comments after the impending Nebraska loss. That way, he'd have a decent shot at leaving with a little dignity.
Doubt if that'll happen. Hawk will likely engage in oversharing on his way out the door just as he's done since his arrival. Which will only make what's happened over the past four years seem that much sadder.
