FOOTBALL GAMEDAY MAGAZINE - of College Football Games

AnDreW hAWKen:
A trUe
teAm PLAYer
By Katie Koerner, MSU Athletic Communications Student Assistant
Being a team player may be an understatement for fifth-year senior and
Grandville, Mich. native, Andrew Hawken.
The 6-foot-2, 250-pound fullback originally entered the Michigan State
football program in 2005 as a standout running back and linebacker.
However, after red-shirting his freshman season and dealing with the
challenges that come with the transition from high school football to college
football, an even bigger challenge awaited him.
As Mark Dantonio and his staff took over the program, Hawken soon
found himself taking repetitions as a fullback in practice. From there, he
says the rest is history.
“After I switched positions, it just kind of clicked,” Hawken said. “Since
I was used to playing on the offensive side of the ball it came pretty easy
for me. I did have to learn how to block, and that was probably the most
difficult thing to get use to.”
Although Hawken admits the switch to fullback was uncomfortable at
first, he said the only aspect that was important to him was being out on
the football field and helping his teammates be victorious.
“I was willing to do whatever Coach Dantonio needed me to do,” said
Hawken. “Whatever I can do to help the team I am all for.”
It was this unselfish attitude and hard-working demeanor that led to
appearances in all 13 games during the 2007 season. He even caught the
first pass of the Dantonio era, a 15-yard catch in the season opener vs.
UAB.
Just one season later, he found himself another new role on the team as
he became the primary blocker for MSU All-American running back Javon
Ringer. It was that experience, Hawken said, that really taught him the ins
and outs of being a fullback at the collegiate level.
“Blocking for Javon last year was really a privilege for me,” Hawken
68 w w w .ms u s p a r t a n s .co m
GETTING TO KNOW
ANDREW HAWKEN
FAVORITE MOVIE: Gladiator
FAVORITE FOOD: Cheeseburgers
FAVORITE SPORT OTHER THAN FOOTBALL: Baseball
FAVORITE CLASS AT MSU: Marketing Logistics
FAVORITE PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE: Derek Jeter
FAVORITE HOBBy: Playing video games
FAVORITE SPOT ON CAMPUS: Spartan Stadium
said. “I learned a lot from his work ethic and how he approached not only
the games but practices as well.
“I also learned the type of cuts running backs normally make, and how
to get into the best blocking position in those situations,” he added. “I
definitely feel more comfortable out there now. Last year really shaped me
into a true fullback.”
Hawken is now one of most experienced players in the Spartan backfield,
leading the underclassmen and helping them grasp the offense.
“I feel like I’m able to play faster now because I have been in the offense
for three years,” Hawken said. “I know the drill, I know the plays, and now
I’m trying to use my experience to win games and to help out some of the
younger guys on the team.”
With the last season of his college career underway, Hawken said it is
his pure love for winning that serves as his motivation while on the football
field.
“You know you are playing with your best friends and even your
roommates in some cases,” he said. “You are playing for each other, and
you want to win for each other too.”
Although he admits the season did not start out as planned, he said he is
confident the team’s goals for the 2009 season are still intact.
“Our goal is to win a Big Ten Championship,” he said. “Our goals are still
in front of us, and winning the Big Ten and a bowl game are what we are
working toward everyday.”
Not only has Hawken found success on the football field, but in the
classroom as well. An Academic All-Big Ten selection for three consecutive
years and a member of the 2008 CoSIDA Academic All-District First
Team, Hawken will graduate this December with a degree in supply chain
management.
As his time as a student-athlete draws to a close, Hawken said the
opportunity he has had to play in Spartan Stadium and be a part of the
football program at MSU is something he will remember forever.
“It has been like a dream come true to come to East Lansing and play
in the green and white uniform,” he said. “I will remember all my coaches
and all the confidence they have in me, and all the memories I have made
with my teammates and friends. I take a lot of pride in all the hard work we
have put in over the years, and it’s really just been just an unforgettable
experience.”