Former Boise State football coach Dan Hawkins joins his son's staff at ISU

Idaho State head football coach Cody Hawkins will once again be working with his father.

Only the roles are going to be reversed this time around.

Dan Hawkins was announced Wednesday as the newest addition to his son's staff. The former Boise State head coach, will serve as the Director of Player and Staff Development. He will be the lowest paid member on staff with a salary of $19,000.

But for him, it was never about the money.

“We have been fortunate to learn many valuable lessons over the years and it is rewarding to be able to share my experience to staff and players alike,” said Hawkins in a press release. “I am looking forward to helping Cody and (athletic director) Pauline (Thiros) continue to build a program Idaho State is proud of.”

The opportunity came about after the former Director of Football Operations and Special Teams Jesse Thompson left to take a job on the other side of the world in Japan. So Cody Hawkins elected to split the special teams position between Scott Thiessen and Nick Alaimalo. Thiessen will be running the punting game and Alaimalo the kicking. Dan Hawkins, will oversee both of them. He will also focus on mentoring players and staff in various capacities and assisting in game planning, strategy and recruiting, according to the press release.

“My father has been a fantastic role model and my greatest mentor for as long as I can remember,” Cody Hawkins said in the release. “He is a reflection of the person I try to be every day, and he helped formulate many of the core values that we try to incorporate into our program. His wisdom and character will help our team and coaching staff to maximize their potential on and off the field.”

Hawkins played quarterback for his father at the University of Colorado (2006-09) before being his wide receiver coach and offensive coordinator (2017-22) at UC Davis. The two then went head-to-head at the ICCU Dome last November with the elder Hawkins earning bragging rights with a 21-14 win in the dubbed “Hawkins Bowl.”

Dan Hawkins stepped down from UC Davis at the end of last season after seven seasons to spend more time with his family. He went 44-31, finishing with six consecutive winning seasons, made the playoffs twice and was the Big Sky Coach of the Year in 2018 when the Aggies won a postseason game and were ranked as high as No. 4 in the country. Hawkins was also honored with the Eddie Robinson Award that year. It is given annually to the top FCS coach in the country.

Hawkins was a two-time WAC Coach of the Year at Boise State. He went 53-11 (.828), including 37-3 in WAC play, won four straight league titles and guided the Broncos to their first-ever undefeated season (2004) in his five years at the helm before leaving for Colorado.

He was also the head man at Willamette − leading the program to its first and only national championship game in 1997. Hawkins has coached in the CFL with the Montreal Alouettes and internationally in Sweden and Austria, as well.

“We feel very fortunate to add coach Dan Hawkins to our staff,” Thiros said. “His football acumen and coaching experience is a tremendous asset, but he is also a big add to the culture we are building. His capacity to mentor our staff, develop our students, and work with our fanbase is a significant benefit to Bengal Athletics.”