Ernest Hawkins (coach)

Ernest Ray Hawkins (born January 23, 1927) is a retired American football coach, Basketball Coach, and Athletic Director. He is best known for his time as head coach at Texas A&M University-Commerce, then known at East Texas State University, from 1964–1985, compiling a 132–92–6 record.^[1] He is the winningest head coach in Texas A&M–Commerce history and led the Lions to the National Football Championship during the 1972 season.

Early life

Hawkins was born and raised in the West Texas town of Lamesa, Texas and was a standout in Football, Basketball, and Track and Field at Lamesa High School.

Texas Tech

After graduating High School in 1944 he enrolled at Texas Tech University. After enrolling, Hawkins joined the military and did not participate in athletics due to World War II. When the war ended, Hawkins returned to school in Lubbock where wartime rules allowed him to compete. A multi-sport athlete, he was a standout on the Tech Basketball and Track Teams, and was the quarterback for the Texas Tech football team from 1947–1949. In 3 seasons as the Red Raiders starting quarterback, he led the Red Raiders to 3 Border Conference championships and appearances in the Raisin Bowl and Sun Bowl, and was all-conference in the 1948 season. Hawkins graduated from Texas Tech in 1950 at the top of his graduating class.

Paris Junior College

Hawkins and his wife Margaret moved from West Texas to Northeast Texas after he was given the job of Head Football Coach and Head Basketball coach at Paris Junior College in Paris, Texas. Hawkins compiled a 32-20-1 record as the head Football coach and a 39-49 record in Basketball. He was also named to the office of Athletic Director for PJC due to his success on the court and on the field and administrative abilities. While at PJC, Hawkins attended graduate school at East Texas State University in Commerce, Texas, 40 miles southwest of Paris where he graduated from ETSU with a master's degree in 1956.

East Texas State University

In 1957 Hawkins was hired by Jules V. Sikes as assistant head football coach at East Texas State University (now Texas A&M-Commerce). Hawkins was part of an assistant staff that helped Sikes lead the Lions to 6 winning seasons, 3 Lone Star Conference Championships, 2 LSC second-place finishes, and the Tangerine Bowl Championship in 1957 and 1958. Hawkins worked with Sikes to make the Lion offense incredibly potent by mixing in Sikes' T formation power running with Hawkins's penchant for throwing the Football. The combination gave the Lions great success during that time, winning conference and bowl championships and sending numerous players to the National Football League.

Head coach at ETSU

In the Spring of 1964, Sikes unexpectedly passed away, and Hawkins was named successor shortly thereafter. The first two seasons saw the Lions go 2-7 and 4-5, but in only his third year Hawkins and Lions won the 1966 Lone Star Conference Conference Championship, his first of 4. The Lions repeated as conference champions in 1969 and finished second place in 1968. At the end of the 1971 season, Hawkins had notched a record of 40-37-1 with two conference titles, one second-place finish, and 4 winning seasons.

1972 National Championship Season

Heading into the 1972 season, the Lions were picked to finish fourth in the conference, and started out the season with 14-12 loss to rival Abilene Christian University, but then racked up 6 straight wins to climb into the national polls in the top 5, but then The Lions were upset by Sul Ross State University by a 15-14 score, dropping them out of the top five ranking. The Lions finished the season with wins over Angelo State and Tarleton State. When the final national rankings came out, the Lions were ranked 4th in the nation and invited to the NAIA National Playoffs. In the first round the Lions faced the # 1 team in the nation, the University of Central Oklahoma Bronchos. The Lions shocked the nation and routed UCO 54-0 in the national semi-finalists, earning them a spot in the National Championship game against the second ranked Carson-Newman College Eagles. The Championship game was determined to be played in Commerce. On a bitterly cold December day in front of a packed Memorial Stadium, Hawkins's Lions defeated Carson-Newman 21-18 to claim the National Title. Among the players on the team were future NFL players Will Cureton, Harvey Martin, Autry Beamon, Aundra Thompson, and Tim Collier. The Lions were named the National Team of the Year and Hawkins was named both Lone Star Conference Coach of the Year and National Coach of the Year.

1972 season results

Date	Time	Opponent#	Rank#	Site	TV	Result
September 9	2:00 PM	at Abilene Christian University Wildcats*		Shotwell Stadium • Abilene, Tx		L 14-12
September 16	6:00 PM	at East Central University Tigers*		Norris Field • Ada, Oklahoma		W 37–14
September 23	6:00 PM	at Sam Houston State University Bearkats		Stone Stadium • Huntsville, Texas		W 23-0
September 30	6:00 PM	Howard Payne University Yellowjackets		Memorial Stadium • Commerce, Texas		W 35-15
October 7	2:00 PM	at No. 12 Texas A&M University-Kingsville Javelinas		Memorial Stadium • Commerce, Texas (Chennault Cup)		W 29-17
October 14	2:00 PM	at Stephen F. Austin State University Lumberjacks		Homer Bryce Stadium • Nacogdoches, Texas		W 21-9
October 21	2:00 PM	No. 6 Texas State University Bobcats	No. 7	Memorial Stadium • Commerce, Texas		W 32-29
October 28	2:00 PM	at Sul Ross State University Lobos	No. 4	Jackson Field • Alpine, Texas		L 15-14
November 4	6:00 PM	No. 14 Angelo State University Rams	No. 6	Memorial Stadium • Commerce, Texas		W 24-14
November 11	2:00 PM	at Tarleton State University Texans	No. 5	Memorial Stadium • Stephenville, Texas		W 27-6
November 25	2:00 PM	No. 1 Central Oklahoma Bronchos	No. 4	Memorial Stadium • Commerce, Texas (NAIA National Semi-Finals)		W 54-0
December 9	4:00 PM	No. 1 Carson-Newman College Eagles	No. 2	Memorial Stadium • Commerce, Texas (NAIA Division I Champions Bowl)		W 21-18
*Non-conference game. Homecoming. #Rankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to game. All times are in Central Time.

1973–1985

After winning the National Championship, Hawkins continued to have success and made East Texas State a contender in the Lone Star Conference. He had 6 seasons of 7 wins or more, and went back to the post season in 1974 against Bethune-Cookman in the Florida Central Classic Bowl, resulting in a 7-7 tie. Hawkins and the Lions made another serious run at a national title by winning a Division Championship and going to the NAIA National Semi-finals, bowing out to Elon College, the eventual national champion that year. The Lions won the conference championship for the final time under Hawkins tenure in 1983. Hawkins announced his retirement prior to the 1985 season, stating he would be stepping down at the end of the season. Hawkins ended his career with a third-place finish in the 1985 season. During the 73-85 time frame, Hawkins also coached future professionals Michael Trigg, Wade Wilson, Wes Smith, Kyle Mackey, and Alan Veingrad. As head coach Hawkins won 132 games with 4 conference championships, 3 second-place finishes, 1 Division Championship, and coached the Texas team for the 1965 Oil Bowl.

1980 Season

The ET Lions started out the 1980 season 7-0 before dropping two straight games to Southwest Texas State and Texas A&I. The 1980 season was somewhat strange in that the Lone Star Conference had two members that were NCAA members while most were still in the NAIA. Despite the record showing Southwest Texas State was the conference champion, the Division in the NAIA went to East Texas State and Angelo State. Led by All-American Quarterback and future All-Pro Wade Wilson, the Lions notched an 8-3-1 record that saw them bow out in the national semifinals to Elon College, the eventual national champions. The Lions finished 6th in the nation.

1980 National Semi-Finalists season results

Date	Time	Opponent#	Rank#	Site	TV	Result
September 9	2:00 PM	at Cameron Aggies*		Cameron Stadium • Cameron, Oklahoma		W 35-20
September 20	6:00 PM	Southern Arkansas Muleriders*		Memorial Stadium • Commerce, Texas		W 21-14
September 27	5:00 PM	at Central Oklahoma Bronchos		Wasteland Stadium • Edmond, Oklahoma		W 33-7
October 11	6:00 PM	at Sam Houston State Bearkats		Stone Stadium • Huntsville, Texas		W 41-7
October 18	2:00 PM	Howard Payne Yellowjackets		Memorial Stadium • Commerce, Texas		W 28-14
October 25	2:00 PM	at Abilene Christian Wildcats		Shotwell Stadium • Abilene, Texas		W 24-14
November 1	2:00 PM	No. 2 Southwest Texas State Bobcats	No. 9	Memorial Stadium • Commerce, Texas		L 37-26
November 8	2:00 PM	No. 7 Texas A&I Javelinas	No. 10	Memorial Stadium • Commerce, Texas		L 14-7
November 15	6:00 PM	Stephen F. Austin State Lumberjacks	No. 8	Homer Bryce Stadium • Nacogdoches, Texas		W 44-7
November 22	2:00 PM	No. 6 Angelo State Rams	No. 7	Memorial Stadium • Commerce, Texas		T 13-13
December 8	2:00 PM	at No. 1 Central Arkansas Bears	No. 8	Estes Stadium • Conway, Arkansas (NAIA Playoffs First Round)		W 27-21
December 13	3:00 PM	No. 2 Elon College Phoenix	No. 6	Memorial Stadium • Commerce, Texas (NAIA National Semi-finals)		L 14-6
*Non-conference game. Homecoming. #Rankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to game. All times are in Central Time.

Personal

Hawkins resides in Commerce, Texas, and is still active with the football program at A&M-Commerce and also in the Commerce community. His wife Margaret died in 2012 after more than 62 years of marriage. He also has two daughters, Kathy and Lu Anne, and one son, Ray. Hawkins had a health scare in the summer of 2012 and was hospitalized while contracting West Nile Disease, but he was treated and released a week later. Hawkins is often seen attending TAMUC Football games and practices and enjoys fishing, and is a long time member of the First Baptist Church of Commerce.

Honors

• 7 Time Lone Star Conference Champion (4 as Head Coach, 3 as an Assistant Head Coach)
• National Football Champion-1972
• National Coach of the Year-1972
• Lone Star Conference Coach of the Year (3 Time)
• Texas Tech University Athletic Hall of Honor-1975
• Texas A&M University Commerce Athletic Hall of Fame-1988
• Lone Star Conference Athletic Hall of Fame-2004

Head coaching record

Football

References