BOULDER — It's no longer a question of if, but when Dan Hawkins gets fired as coach at Colorado.
Why wait until Thanksgiving when the Buffaloes can dump Hawkins at Halloween? What CU athletic director Mike Bohn must now begin to weigh are the pros and cons of making a coaching change at midseason.
A 31-25 loss to Baylor that could be described as heartbreaking if it wasn't so embarrassing is reason No. 36 why Hawkins must go.
Since becoming the coach of the Buffaloes in 2006, Hawkins' record is a regrettable 19-36. But know what's worse? In the same time frame, Baylor's record is 20-35.
"There is no easy day," Hawkins said Saturday, after lauding his team's effort.
But this has been a five-year struggle.
Enough already.
If your football program comes in second to Baylor, the designated laughingstock of the Big 12 Conference, then there's zero justification for retaining Hawkins as coach one minute longer than is absolutely necessary.
How quick can Bill McCartney be ready to come out of retirement?
Two weeks ago, CU students stormed Folsom Field to celebrate the home team's good fortune in upsetting Georgia. But two conference losses later, the Buffaloes awake this morning in last place of the Big 12 North.
"We don't want to go 0-3," said Colorado receiver Toney Clemons, who failed to grab the last chance at victory when quarterback Tyler Hansen's pass to the end zone as time expired in the fourth quarter was knocked down by Baylor cornerback Chance Casey.
Next up in Hawkins' long, lonely walk to the unemployment line: Texas Tech at home and a road trip to Oklahoma. Get the picture? Hawkins could be as good as gone by the end of the month.
What would be the point of keeping Hawkins on the sideline if the Buffaloes were winless in the conference and 3-5 overall on Halloween? Bohn could stand on the Pearl Street Mall and offer free tickets to November home games against unattractive foes Iowa State and Kansas State. He would attract more hecklers than takers.
Or Bohn could think outside the box, and he could bring McCartney back to the Dal Ward Center for the final four games of the season. Let Mac do what he does best: Inspire players to believe that nothing is impossible.
It's certainly possible CU could beat Texas Tech, which is no longer as dangerous without the mad genius of coach Mike Leach. But so what? A 7-5 record is not going to save Hawkins' job. The Buffaloes simply cannot afford to drag him along for the ride with a move to the Pac-12 in 2011. It would be the ultimate buzz killer.
But here's betting that disgruntled CU alums would buy tickets to watch the 70-year-old McCartney walk onto Folsom Field for something more meaningful than the 20th reunion of the 1990 national championship team.
What would the Buffaloes have to lose by letting him coach the final four games? It could be a test to see if McCartney still has the energy and the acumen to get back in coaching full time.
You might argue bringing Mac back is a crazy idea. Heck, you might be right. But it's certainly no wackier than going for two points after scoring a touchdown in the first quarter, which is what Colorado inexplicably did against Baylor.
Anybody remember when McCartney brought in athletes with the incredible wow factor of Kordell Stewart? Stewart is the quarterback who came to mind while watching Robert Griffin III shred the CU defense for 234 yards passing and 137 yards rushing.
When Baylor has the best athlete on the field against the Buffaloes, then the clock ticks, ticks, ticks 15 minutes past the time for Hawkins to get out of town.
