While hiring a new assistant coach for wide receivers, Big Green football head coach Buddy Teevens '78 said he saw in Cortez Hankton the true embodiment of the student-athlete emphasis that distinguishes Ivy League athletics. Hankton had tremendous success athletically, playing six years in the NFL. He was a football standout at St. Augustine High School in New Orleans, one of the most academically prestigious high schools in the city.
"One of the things that struck me right off the bat is that he's not just a NFL guy, but he went through with discipline, and he understands the academic component," Teevens said. "Adjusting to an Ivy League environment won't be so radical for someone with his background."
Hankton views football as a foundation to "professionalism" in other aspects of life. That vision is aligned with the Ivy League's goal of integrating athletics into their schools' educational missions where athletic competition provides valuable lessons for student-athletes, according to Athletic Director Harry Sheehy.
"We use games as vehicles to teach," Sheehy said. "It's an investment in the student-athlete."
Teevens said that Hankton has been quick to grasp the expectations of Dartmouth football, which aims to graduate "the best students and playing at the highest level."
Hankton stood out because he persevered in the NFL after being an undrafted free agent, according to Teevans. He saw that as a testament to Hankton's work ethic, given that many players who are undrafted may never play in the NFL or will just play for a few years. Hankton spent four years with the Jacksonville Jaguars, one with the Minnesota Vikings and one as an injured reserve with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Although younger players often ask him what it takes to become a professional football player, he is quick to remind athletes that the NFL is no sure way to guarantee a living.
"The NFL is the best temporary job that you could have," he said. "Only 5 percent of NFL players never have to work another job."
In his first year, Hankton said he will work to instill in his players the notion that their responsibilities go beyond their performance on the field.
"Guys have to understand that they represent this program both on and off the field," Hankton said.
Hankton, who was most recently a volunteer assistant for the Central Florida University football program, will replace Jarrail Jackson, who left Dartmouth to join the coaching staff at Washington State University after the 2011 season.
Hankton joins a Dartmouth football program whose competitiveness has been on the rise in recent years. The Big Green finished in a four-way tie for second place in the Ivy League in 2011.
Running back Nick Schwieger '12 was the Ivy League's leading rusher last year, and the offense as a whole committed the fewest turnovers in the league. Although wide receivers are typically considered solely part of the passing game, Hankton said that those players' blocking ability will be essential to sustaining a powerful rushing attack the sort of selfless play that does not show up in the box score but that is indispensable to the overall offense.
Dartmouth's passing offense lagged a bit behind that of the top Ivy League contenders last year, but improved considerably during the second half of the season, offensive coordinator Keith Clark said.
Hankton will be responsible for recruiting in Oklahoma and Texas, and Teevens said his southern roots make him particularly well-positioned to encourage players from that region to play football in the Northeast. Teevens said he is impressed with how thoroughly Hankton has come to understand Dartmouth as an institution, leaving no doubt about his ability to represent Dartmouth to prospective student-athletes.
On the recruiting front, Hankton will benefit from an ambitious alumni fundraising campaign, according to deputy director of athletics Bob Ceplikas '78.
"While it is often easier to raise money for teams that are winning, teams that are struggling typically have more urgent needs," Ceplikas said. "The first sport we targeted for special fundraising attention was football, which was coming off its sixth straight losing season in 2009. In the 2009-2010 fiscal year, donations to Friends of Dartmouth Football tripled, which facilitated a more comprehensive recruiting effort."
The result has been that the football coaches are able to recruit more broadly and for a longer period of time to attract top student-athletes, according to assistant athletic director Brian Mann '02.
In addition to coaching the wide receivers, Hankton will have a significant role in preparing the team during the week leading up to each game, Clark said. He will be responsible for analyzing the opposing team's videotapes a process that involves breaking down every single play to detect patterns and helping to prepare scouting reports.
The players will begin the season by emphasizing a West Coast offense, predicated on short-yardage passages, and will then focus on a longer, down-the-field passing game, wide receiver Clay Robbins '14 said.
"I think that if we can get a passing game that stretches the field vertically, it will not only help our passing stats, but open opportunities for running backs," Robbins said.
