Colorado Set on Hawkins

Boise State Coach Dan Hawkins reportedly accepted an offer Wednesday night to become Colorado coach, replacing Gary Barnett.

Boise TV station KTVB reported that Hawkins would be introduced as coach on Friday. The Denver Post reported that the Colorado Board of Regents was scheduled to meet today to approve the deal.

Earlier, Colorado Athletic Director Mike Bohn told Denver TV station KUSA: “Dan Hawkins is the type of coach who represents virtually every expectation that I outlined. And if we’re fortunate enough to get this completed and have Dan Hawkins announced as our coach, then we will have been very, very successful and we will be well on our way to restoring a sense of pride in the Golden Buffaloes.”

Hawkins first interviewed with Colorado on Saturday. UCLA assistant Jon Embree was the only other candidate believed to be interviewed.

Boise State offensive coordinator Chris Petersen is believed to be in line to take over for Hawkins.

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Former Nebraska quarterback Turner Gill is a finalist to take over as coach of Buffalo, a team that has never had a winning season in Division I-A.

Gill, currently in his first year as the Green Bay Packers’ director of player development, was on the Buffalo campus Wednesday completing interviews for the job, athletic department spokesman Paul Vecchio said.

Buffalo is looking for a replacement for Jim Hofher, who was fired with two games left this season. Hofher was allowed to complete the season in which the Bulls finished 1-10. He had an 8-49 record in five seasons at Buffalo.

The program has not had a winning season and has gone 10-69 since making the jump to the Division I-A level by joining the Mid-American Conference in 1999.

Gill, 43, has no head coaching experience but is regarded as an able recruiter. Before joining the Packers, he spent 13 years as an assistant at Nebraska, mostly coaching quarterbacks.

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Defensive coordinator Victor Santa Cruz was promoted to head coach at Azusa Pacific.

Santa Cruz, 33, becomes the ninth coach in Azusa Pacific’s 41-year history. He succeeds Peter Shinnick, who resigned Tuesday to become coach at North Carolina Pembroke.

Santa Cruz served as an assistant under Shinnick the past five seasons -- three as offensive coordinator and the past two as defensive coordinator. Santa Cruz spent five years as an assistant coach at Oceanside El Camino High before coming to Azusa Pacific.

Azusa Pacific, which competes at the NAIA level, was 53-22 in seven seasons under Shinnick.