Reunion will test pals

Dirk Koetter still refers to Dan Hawkins by a nickname, Hawk, but on Saturday the two friends and former colleagues will be seeing each other in a new light: as opponents.

Koetter’s Arizona State team is traveling to play Hawkins’ Colorado squad – two former Boise State head coaches meeting for the first time.

“When Hawk and I were together, that was six seasons ago so I’ve tried not to think about it too much,” Koetter said. “Hawk and I are always going to be friends, but for this particular week we’ve got to put that aside.”

Hawkins, who succeeded Koetter in Boise after the latter took the Sun Devils job, might need the win more than his former boss after a season-opening loss to Montana State in his first year on the job at Colorado.

If nothing else this weekend, expect both coaches to be well-versed in the other’s offensive game plan. While Hawkins and Koetter have revamped their schemes on the defensive side of the ball since parting ways, many of their basic principles of offense are mirror images.

“You can see resemblance,” Koetter said.

Stanford comes home for good

Stanford might get its first true home-field edge in years this weekend, opening the new Stanford Stadium while hosting Navy.

“I was in our stadium (Monday) on the grass, on the field,” Cardinal coach Walt Harris said. “It’s probably beyond anybody’s imagination.

“What a miraculous change it has been in nine months, especially when you consider the weather and how long stadiums usually take to build.”

Stanford built the 50,000-seat facility within the footprint of the old Stanford Stadium, bulldozing the old and building the new from scratch in one off-season.

Stanford could use a boost after struggling in recent seasons in front of empty seats at home, and especially after a 35-34 loss to San Jose State last week, a game in which the Cardinal once led by 20.

“This new stadium I really think is going to give us a shot in the arm,” Harris said. “It’s beautiful, No. 1, and 1-A, it’s an obvious commitment from the university to help the program.”

USC features backfield shuffle

USC coach Pete Carroll said his situation at running back is still unsettled.

Freshman C.J. Gable started the season opener at Arkansas two weekends ago, but junior Chauncey Washington might have an inside track if a sore hamstring heals in short order. Another junior, Desmond Reed, and two more freshmen, Allen Bradford and Emmanuel Moody, should figure into the mix as well.

“We haven’t changed at all,” Carroll said. “We’re pretty much in the same mode, working with our guys and seeing how it goes.”