Miami Hurricanes Hall of Famer Bill Hawkins’ high school jersey retired at South Broward

“Congratulations Bill Hawkins Class of ‘84,” read the digital ribbon on South Broward High School’s football field scoreboard Thursday night. “Let’s go Bulldogs!”

Hawkins is a towering man, standing at 6-foot-6-inches with a white head of hair atop his formerly defensive end frame. He frequently stopped to greet former classmates and teammates as he traversed his old high school field, beaming and full of hearty laughter. Hawkins hadn’t seen many of these faces since he graduated in 1984.

As a result, melancholy underscored the joy and gratefulness he felt.

“I wish I’d kept in touch better,” Hawkins said, reflecting on his journey from youth and high school football in Hollywood to the University of Miami and finally the Los Angeles Rams. “It’s one thing I didn’t do. When I was coming up, I was always striving forward, and I wish I had to come back more and not become so distant from these people that made me who I am.”

Hawkins, a former University of Miami defensive end who played a role in the Hurricanes’ 1987 national championship season, had his No. 72 jersey retired at South Broward High School Thursday night during halftime of the Bulldogs game against Stoneman Douglas. Hawkins graduated from South Broward in 1984, earning an All-State Selection and Second Team All-American honors while there.

Throughout the night Hawkins fielded reflective conversations from familiar faces weathered with time. They reminisced about the “good ole days” at UM and occasionally tossed teasing remarks at those who had forsaken their Miami allegiance for degrees at the University of Florida or Florida State (something one might not expect from a man with Hawkins’ history, having graduated from UF’s law school).

“It brings back a lot of the fondest memories of my childhood, being back here,” Hawkins said.

“You don’t know what kind of difference you make when you interact with people. And if I had any advice for these guys playing ball today, it’s the same old, ‘Do the right thing. Work hard. Do your best.’ But at the end of the day, you know what else? Let’s be kind to each other and enjoy each other. Because you never know what kind of difference you’re gonna make in someone’s life.”

Hawkins attended South Broward before spending five years with the University of Miami Hurricanes from 1984 (as a redshirt) to 1988, starting three of those seasons. As a senior in high school he attended the UM-versus-Nebraska national championship game, in which the Hurricanes defeated the Cornhuskers 31-30 in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 1, 1984. It was the first national title team that didn’t have any players named to an AP, UPI, Football Writers Association or College Football Coaches Association All-America first team.

A few years later Hawkins got to be part of a national championship team in Miami after the Hurricanes rolled through the 1987 season with a perfect record capped off by a 20-14 victory over Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl.

While at UM, Hawkins achieved Second Team All-American Selection by AP, UPI and the AFCA. He’s tied for seventh on the Hurricanes’ all-time sack leaders list with 22. He was inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame in 2000 for his accomplishments.

“Those teams were second to none that I’ve ever been around,” Hawkins said of his years with the Hurricanes. “And those relationships and friendships I have with those guys, it’s a bond I can’t describe. You just have to feel it. And I do keep in touch with some of those guys, not as often as I should because I’m such a knuckle-dragger when it comes to keeping in touch with people, but every time I see them, it’s like we haven’t been apart. I really learned how to give it my all when I was there, which is a good thing to know how to do.”

Hawkins was picked in the first round of the 1989 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams. His professional football career ended after five seasons due to multiple knee injuries. He now operates his own practice after stints at other firms and as the Assistant State Attorney in Palm Beach County (1998-2002).

This year marks 35 years since the 1987 national championship game. Miami honored the storied squad on Oct. 8 during the Hurricanes-versus-UNC Tar Heels game. When asked about Mario Cristobal, whom he played one year with at Miami, Hawkins said he had absolute faith in coach’s ability to improve the program.

“Mario Cristobal is not afraid of anything,” Hawkins said. “He’s going to tell you like it is, and he’s going to tell the players like it is. ‘This is what you’ve got to do. If you don’t want to do it, I’ll find somebody who will.’ I have no doubt, none, that we’re coming back.”