UC Davis Athletics

Uncommon Engineering is a journey – a journey that will take you through sport and beyond, celebrating all the extraordinary experiences life has to offer. Host Dan Hawkins, head football coach at UC Davis, will help tell these stories through his unique lens. "Coach Hawk" is a husband of nearly 40 years, a father to four, grandfather to nine, an educator, and a seeker of global experiences. Hawkins frequently references the "Hero's Journey" and quality balance of life as metaphors for our existence. This philosophy rests near the core of the UC Davis Aggie football experience. This forum is meant to inspire, motivate, and educate others to reach beyond the boundaries of our being and achieve the best version of ourselves. 

Dan Hawkins is a 1984 graduate of UC Davis where he majored in physical education and played on the NCAA Division II national championship finalist team in 1982. UC Davis recently won its first D-1 conference championship in football and Coach Hawkins was awarded the Big Sky and Eddie Robinson National FCS Coach of the Year awards. Coach Hawk has coached every level of football from youth to professional football and in 13 different countries. Along the way, he has collected not only championship hardware, but also priceless experiences. 

Hawk has climbed to Mt Everest Base Camp. Trekked to Machu Picchu and Angkor Wat. Walked the historic Camino de Santiago from France to the coast of Spain. Coach Hawk ran with bulls in Pamplona, swam with great white sharks in South Africa, and dived with the whale sharks in the Gulf of Mexico. Currently he longs to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro and see the gorillas in Africa, along with sailing aboard a tall ship in the Atlantic as a working crew member.

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UC Davis Football Twitter | Instagram

Uncommon Engineering is a production of Dan Hawkins and UC Davis intercollegiate athletics and is sponsored by Woodstock's Pizza in Davis, Calif.

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EPISODE 9: ROLF BENIRSCHKE

For our latest episode, we turn to another Aggie legend: Rolf Benirschke. Although best known as a San Diego Chargers Hall of Fame placekicker, Benirschke has carried numerous descriptions in his lifetime – zoology student, athlete, philanthropist, motivational speaker, author, advocate, even game show host. However, one word best sums up every aspect of his life: inspirational. 

An outstanding two-sport athlete at UC Davis, Benirschke was drafted into the NFL in 1977, and traded to the San Diego Chargers. Early in his pro career, he was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and underwent surgery that resulted in his being fitted with two ostomy appliances. He initially feared that his budding career was over, and that his lifestyle would forever be changed for the worse. Through a combination of hard work and his faith, Benirschke “chose better, not bitter” and worked his way back onto the football field in time for the 1980 season. Over the course of his career, he scored 766 points – a Charger record at the time.

During and after his NFL career, Benirschke also exhibited a charitable side that once earned him the NFL Man of the Year Award. He launched an event called Kicks For Critters, later known as the Celebration For The Critters, which has raised millions for the San Diego Kool. Benirschke became an ambassador for the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America and founded Great Comebacks, each of which provide encouragement and support for others who underwent the same ostomy surgery that saved his life years before. He also launched the Rolf Benirschke Legacy Golf Invitational charity event, which even has an award named for legendary Aggie coach Jim Sochor. More than four decades after his surgery, Benirschke continues to inspire and motivate with his message about  “the power of the human spirit.”

Official website: https://www.rolfbenirschke.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rolfbenirschke
Rolf Benirschke Legacy Golf Invitational: https://legacyinvitational.com/
NFL Career Stats: https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/benirrol01.htm
Books by Rolf Benirschke: https://www.amazon.com/Rolf-Benirschke/e/B01JQT22JM/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1
“The Rolf Benirschke Story:” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WxJPz4DtI8&ab_channel=RolfSpeaks
2013 Aggie Legacy Award: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRVFqJZHBSY
“Epic In Miami” Full Game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y06M_BxQBDE

Audio version:

EPISODE 8: JENNIFER GROSS

After reaching across the Pacific Ocean for the seventh episode, we stay close to home for our eighth in a chat with UC Davis head women’s basketball coach Jennifer Gross. An outstanding guard and scholar-athlete who earned induction into the Cal Aggie Athletics Hall of Fame, Gross played professionally overseas, then briefly worked in sports marketing before returning to the sport as a coach. In 2004, she returned to her alma mater to serve as an assistant coach under Sandy Simpson, then took over the helm in the fall of 2011 after Simpson’s retirement.

Gross has since won four straight Big West Conference Coach of the Year awards and posted 173 total wins in her nine seasons as head coach. Adding in her time as an assistant for Simpson, she has helped the Aggies to 286 wins, four WNIT appearances, five Big West championships plus NCAA Tournament berths in 2011 and 2019. In today’s episode, Coach Gross shares her experiences of building a winning culture at UC Davis, being mentored by Jim Sochor, and literally having a family atmosphere on her staff.

UC Davis women’s basketball website: https://ucdavisaggies.com/sports/womens-basketball
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ucdaviswbb
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ucdaviswbb

Audio version:

EPISODE 7: MICHAEL FRANTI

For our seventh episode, we go almost literally halfway around the world to Bali, Indonesia; and yet we find a local legend: Michael Franti. A 1984 graduate of Davis High, Franti briefly played basketball at the University of San Francisco, but ultimately returned to his first love of music. He began his career with the punk-tinged Beatnigs, then earned a following with the Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy, before achieving wider commercial success with Michael Franti & Spearhead. The track “Say Hey (I Love You)” climbed the charts after its September 2008 release, and even made Billboard’s year-end Top 100.

Music only tells one part of Michael Franti’s story. He is also a documentarian, whose documentary I Know I’m Not Alone explored the human cost of the war in the Middle East. The award-winning film Stay Human examines people who have overcome adversity of the highest levels. Meanwhile, the power of his art inspired Michael Franti and wife Sara Agah to launch the Do It For The Love Foundation, which allows people with life-threatening illnesses and severe challenges to attend live concerts. Most recently, he co-founded a yoga resort called Soulshine Bali. While on a visit to this hotel, the COVID-19 pandemic created a lockdown that postponed his tour with country star Kenny Chesney and stranded the Franti family more than 8,000 miles away from home. Nonetheless, Michael and Sara launched the Stay At Home Concert World Tour on his Instagram account, released a Stay Human podcast, released a new album and performed on numerous virtual concerts. And of course, Franti remains a key voice for social justice and positivity. 

Official Michael Franti website: https://michaelfranti.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelfranti
Do It For The Love Foundation: https://www.doitforthelove.org/
Soulshine Bali: https://www.soulshinebali.com/
Stay Human podcast: https://linktr.ee/stayhumanpodcast
Stay Human documentary on Amazon Prime: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B087N6S51Y
Michael Franti YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8zBFZB7CLNMNnLR1WEgMbw

Audio version:

EPISODE 6: KHARI JONES

In this sixth episode of Uncommon Engineering, we reach beyond our borders and yet come closer to home: Cal Aggie Athletics Hall of Fame quarterback Khari Jones, who now serves as head coach for the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes. Jones, who starred for UC Davis in the early 1990s before enjoying a successful playing career, is something of a renaissance man. In addition to his on-field skills, he was an actor who also dabbled in some freestyle rap. Jones continued to act during his pro football career, making appearances in short films plus a handful of made-for-TV movies on the Lifetime network. 

In 2009, Jones began his coaching career with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Three years later, he captured his first Grey Cup with Saskatchewan. In 2018, Jones arrived in Montreal as the Alouettes’ offensive coordinator, then was elevated to head coach last year. He guided Montreal to its first winning season in seven years. In this episode, we learn about Jones’ journey through football and life, the story of his trademark gold shoes, and discover how sharp his freestyle skills have stayed.

Official CFL bio: https://en.montrealalouettes.com/khari-jones/
Complete version of “Born To Lead” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T90qR95ckow&ab_channel=CFL

EPISODE 5: JOCK BARTLEY

In the latest edition of Uncommon Engineering, Coach Hawk turns to the lead guitarist for Firefall, a band best known for radio hits “You Are The Woman” and “Just Remember I Love You,” plus classic rock staples such as “Strange Way” and “Cinderella.” An alumnus of the University of Colorado, Bartley pursued his dreams of becoming a professional musician. He landed his first big break when he joined Gram Parsons & The Fallen Angels, then in 1974, he formed Firefall along with Rick Roberts, Mark Andes and Larry Burnett. 

In this episode, we hear the firsthand story of how that group went from its humble beginnings to catching an opportunity to record its self-titled debut, to touring with the likes of Fleetwood Mac and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Bartley also discusses his growth as a writer and lyricist, dealing with success and failure, and becoming an artist (he designed the cover art for his solo album Blindside). Firefall has a new album called Nature’s Way, featuring Sacramento’s own Timothy B. Schmit (The Eagles), due this fall.

Official Firefall website: http://www.firefallofficial.com/
Complete clip of “Mexico” at Eau Claire Regional Arts Center: https://youtu.be/NtjTiUSBwpE
Complete clip of American Bandstand interview: https://youtu.be/gmzUlv-ziOM
Complete clip of 1981 Solid Gold appearance: https://youtu.be/Bwo9hbyCqwQ
Colorado Music Hall of Fame: https://cmhof.org/inductees/firefall/

EPISODE 4: CLINT HURDLE

For the fourth episode of Uncommon Engineering, Coach Hawk reached out to Clint Hurdle, a former Major League Baseball first-round draft pick, a successful coach and manager, and a proud father and husband. Despite a baseball career that includes the 1980 American League pennant and the 2013 Sporting News NL Manager of the Year award, Hurdle’s greatest accomplishments are his family and his faith. He shares stories of overcoming personal struggles, raising a daughter with special needs, drawing wisdom from his own parents, building a culture among his teams; while still finding time to offer advice to Little League coaches and parents.

Early in his coaching career, Hurdle began sending encouraging and inspirational text messages to a small circle of friends. In the years since, those text messages have transformed to emails, and the list of 12 recipients now numbers in the thousands. To subscribe to these “daily encouragements,” visit the website https://www.clinthurdle.com/.

Special thanks to Dillon Digital Video for providing the 2012 Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame video in the introduction.

EPISODE 3: STEVE ROBINSON

In our third episode of Uncommon Engineering, we literally meet an uncommon engineer: astronaut and UC Davis mechanical & aerospace engineering professor Steve Robinson. A 1978 Aggie graduate and an alumnus of the marching band, Robinson flew on four Space Shuttle missions, including the final flight of John Glenn (STS-95) and the first mission following the Columbia disaster (STS-114). That latter flight saw him perform two “spacewalks,” or extravehicular activities, with JAXA astronaut Soichi Noguchi. During that work he not only performed an in-flight repair of the shuttle, but also took the first “space selfie.”

Robinson is also an accomplished musician, performing with the all-astronaut Max Q Band. He serves as guitarist for Bandella, an outfit that includes Chris Hadfield, best known for his “Space Oddity” viral video.

STS-95 Postflight Presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VGK-jmUkW0
STS-114 Postflight Presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rENkfrx4CX8
AP archive video of STS-114 repairs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=as3sf_riKrg
Fan footage of Max Q Band: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03DYSCjEL8E
First Podcast From Space (NASA feature): https://www.nasa.gov/returntoflight/crew/robinson_podcast.html
UC Davis Center For Human/Robotics/Vehicle Integration & Performance: https://hrvip.ucdavis.edu/

EPISODE 2: ALEXANDER J. GROTH

In our second episode, we welcome Alexander J. Groth, professor emeritus in the UC Davis Department of Political Science, Holocaust survivor, and author. From his early memories of Hitler's army invading his hometown of Warsaw to his love of the New York Yankees, Groth shares a life story of moments both harrowing and inspiring. The titles of his books reveal the nature of his scholastic career: Democracies Against Hitler: Myth, Reality and Prologue; Lincoln: Authoritarian Savior; and Accomplices: Churchill, Roosevelt, and the Holocaust.

EPISODE 1: BRAD & TONYA CLEMENT

For the premiere of Uncommon Engineering, we welcome outdoor expeditionists Brad and Tonya Clement, who literally met on the highest mountain in the world, Mt. Everest. Brad has devoted 20 years as a professional mountaineer, photographer and filmmaker; and has the rare distinction of having climbed Mt. Everest on both the north and south routes. Tonya is an author and businessperson who became only the ninth American woman to climb Everest from the north side, and the first woman to summit the five highest peaks in Africa. 

Listeners and viewers can learn more about their story at the following links:
Beyond Everest: http://beyondeverest.com
Spindrift Films: http://spindriftfilms.com
Pangje: http://pangje.org
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spindriftfilms

Audio version:

Listen on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uncommon-engineering-episode-1-head-coach-dan-hawkins/id1436979896?i=1000471815360