‘Hawk’ up to Speed
January 2, 2008
In this Q&A, Hawkins discusses anticipation for the playoffs, his cat, Bruce Leroy, and what it was like to grow up on a farm in Illinois:
Question: You transferred to Illinois State from Purdue in college. Why?
I transferred from Purdue because I was young, stupid. I thought maybe I was having some playing-time issues. That was the gist of most of it, so I just transferred up out of there. It didn’t have anything to do with the coaches or anything.
Q: So how does a guy get 17 sacks in one season like you did as a senior?
Aww, man [laughing]. Actually the coach from the Colts [John Teerlink], his son is Bill Teerlink. He had been at IU [Indiana] for two years, and they fired the staff. So he came and helped us out, and he introduced me to a totally new way of pass-rushing. Pretty much, he just showed me tape of [Dwight] Freeney and [Robert] Mathis for a whole spring. I was waking up, going over to the football office and doing these moves in the middle of the day and coming back and doing them some more, even after practice. I’d stay over and just work with him. So that’s how I had 17 [sacks] in one season.
Full Story: ‘Hawk’ up to speed for playoffs - [Jacksonville.com]
Playoff bye doesn’t hurt Jenkins
January 2, 2008
Nobody was looking forward to the Green Bay Packers’ first-round playoff bye more than defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins. And when you get a load of the laundry list of injuries he’s been playing with all season, you understand why.
“I’ve had that ankle from last year that still bothers me,” Jenkins said, preparing to give the rundown before the players began their four-day postseason break, with practice resuming Friday. “Then I sprained both ankles. Both knees. Pulled a muscle in my side. Messed up both wrists. Oh yeah, my shoulder. Actually, I did both shoulders. I stung my neck on one side.”
Then, he forced a smile. “And on top of that,” he said, “little nicks and bruises and stuff like that.”
Full Story: Packers: Playoff bye doesn’t hurt Jenkins - [Wisconsin State Journal]
