“We’re always trying to reinvent ourselves,” the former UCD fullback told The Enterprise. “Football has changed so much in the last 10 years, it’s crazy. It’s changed a lot in just the last five years, and it’s continuing to change, so you have to take that approach. You always want to keep the best of what you’ve done and (explore) new things.

“I don’t think we’ve ever showed up and said, ‘Yeah, let’s do what we did last year.’ It’s boring for these guys, who like to be intellectually stimulated. If we don’t change things, it’s probably boring for (staff), too.

“You know this place: it’s Quarterback U. Plough is again one of the best in the country at what he does; we have a great culture there. Really want them (the quarterbacks) to be them,” Hawkins says. “They’re not Jake, they’re not Kenny (O’Brien), they’re not J.T. (O’Sullivan). We want them to just be the best version of them and we can kind of ebb and flow with how that goes.

“They do such a great job of competing against themselves, not with each other. So we’re fortunate that way

“I’ve just got to do a better job coaching. That’s all. Like a good marriage, it’s all in the details.”

This year, some of those details include replacing veteran defensive coordinator Robert Tucker with former Oregon defensive analyst Matt Coombs.

“Really happy with what’s he’s done,” Hawkins says of Yale graduate Coombs, who also spent four seasons on staff at Boise State “It’s a great staff on defense.”

Evan Hicks moves from defensive quality control to safeties coach and Paul Shelton (a former volunteer assistant) will work with tight ends, given the departure of Paul Creighton to Fresno State. Hawkins will now handle special teams. Veteran assistant Jerry Brady moves from linebackers to defensive-line coach.

Randy Wright, the former four-year Aggie starter at quarterback (2010-2013), and former Butte College linebackers coach Matt Phipps join Hawkins’ staff in quality control roles