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Denver Native (Carol)
08-09-2009, 03:10 PM
http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_13023851

Former San Diego State quarterback Rick Hansen became a coach in 1983. Up Interstate 5, then I-80, 500 miles away, former University of California-Davis fullback Dan Hawkins became a coach in 1984.

Hawkins' son Cody was born in California in 1988, and in 1989 in the same state, Hansen's son Tyler was born.

The sons of the coaches grew up to become college quarterbacks at Colorado in the late 2000s. They split time at the position last season, and they are competing to be No. 1 — and probably 1A — again this year.

H&H: Rivals, teammates, athletes with similar backgrounds, dueling dudes and, most important, close friends.

After the Buffs' practice Saturday morning, the two shared lunch, laughter, sarcasm and some answers about themselves and each other, the CU team and The Battle of the Buffs' QBs.

Q: What's the one secret about the other guy that people outside the program don't know?

Tyler: "Cody's a big music lover, all kinds of music. He knows everything from country to hip-hop."

Cody: "Tyler is a really shy guy, but once you get him going, he makes everybody happy with his joking around."

Q: What's the best thing about your adversary on the football field?

Tyler: "He knows football inside and out. He's calm under pressure. He's a great leader, and he'll make a great football coach."

Cody: "Tyler's best attribute is his moxie. No matter what the tough situation is in a game, he'll make the most out of it, squeeze something out of nothing."

Q: How does the competition with him help you?

Tyler: "I'll go into the weight room, and he's bench-pressing, and it pushes me to lift more weight than he does. We're both trying to be the first-team quarterback, but Cody will work with me all the time to get me better. If he has a great practice, I'm trying to equal him."

Cody: "If I hear over the weekend that Tyler's watching (game) tapes, then I stay in and get out the tapes. We push each other, and we're competitive guys, so it's good for us."

Tyler: "And whoever is the starter will know that the other one is ready to go if you're injured or the situation in a game changes, or maybe you're not on that day."

* * *

Cody is better looking, Tyler more elusive. Tyler is the funnier one, Cody the more introspective quarterback. Cody is a pocket passer, Tyler the runner-thrower. Both are excellent students and sharp, charming young men. In spring practice, one couldn't shake the other, although, at the end,Tyler broke the thumb on his right hand. In the summer, he ripped off the cast two weeks early to start working out. Cody added serious muscle in the offseason and, at the dining room table, flexed his arms over two bowls of chili, whileTyler ate his salad and sandwich and winced.

* * *

Q: Last year both of you played behind an offensive line that lost two injured starters for the season, had a tackle who was a converted tight end and included two freshmen playing most of the time. This year you've got veterans everywhere. What does that mean?

Tyler: "It's cool. There are some big people on the line, 6-8, 6-9 and heavy. Last season I think both me and Cody were looking around at the defense saying, 'When are they coming and from where,' and I remember a lot of trash-talking and not being able to respond. This season the offensive line is great, and maybe they'll respond when I get trash-talked."

Cody: "They're awesome. We have the confidence that we can run the football behind those guys, and they're not going to get beat at the line of scrimmage. It's entirely different from last year. We're a unit now."

Q: You two are a little bit too chummy. Don't you ever fight?"

Tyler: "He's out running wind sprints after practice, trying to show me up, I guess. I should fight him, but, you know, he's the coach's son."

Cody: "No fights. We've become good friends. Tyler's got a lot of talent, and we talk on the sideline all the time and hang out together. I redshirted my freshman year and was more aware when I started the next season.Tyler was a real freshman last year and was thrown into the fire right away, and he handled it. He can't fight, anyway."

* * *

I asked Dan Hawkins, coach and father, about the challenge between the two to be 1. He gave a rather nondefinitive response: "We'll see how it plays out. I thought both played well this morning."

* * *

Q: Who do you think should start?

Tyler: "I'll leave that up to the coaches' decision. Of course, as a quarterback, you want to be the starter, but I think we'll both play. Last year I was overwhelmed with the speed of the game, playing under the lights on TV with 60,000 people watching. I'm prepared, but it's going to be hard to beat out Cody."

Cody: "Honestly, whatever is best for the team. I'm competitive enough to want to play all the time, but we're coaches' sons. We understand. If me andTyler keep playing well, it will make the decision difficult, but whichever way it goes, we'll be OK."

Q: What's the class you dread and the one you most look forward to this fall?

Tyler: "My worst is public speaking. I don't like to speak in public. I can't wait for introduction to film. I want to make my own movies one day."

Cody (grimacing): "I have a six-hour advanced course in humanities. I'd like to take an acting course."

Tyler: "I'll direct the movie, and you'll star in it."

Q: Who's the best golfer?

Tyler: "I kick his butt."

Cody: "Yes, he does, but I've played twice in my life. He isn't any good, either."

* * *

The quarterbacking sons make their coaching fathers proud.