State of the Union: Kansas
2 comments so far
January 29, 2007 by
The sixth in a twelve-part series about the state of the Big 12
It seems appropriate to be writing about Kansas during basketball season, because let's face it, KU is a basketball school. Sure a precious few athletic programs - like Florida can compete at a high level in both sports. But at a school without the greatest resources in the NCAA, more dollars are going to flow from donors to hoops than football. So that might be bad news for Mark Mangino. The good news is that this football program of modest achievement might be satisfied with little to no progress at KU as long as the Jayhawks don't get embarrased by Kansas State and Missouri.
Despite the landmark win over Nebraska in 2005 (the first in nearly forty years) and the impressive battle in Lincoln this past season, the Jayhawks do not look like they have a program that is getting better. Their recruiting is poor and a team like Colorado is just waiting to start punishing them for it. Given the modest success under Mangino (underline modest), the 'Hawks may decide to let him remain beyond 2007.
But if I were a betting man, I wouldn't expect to find Mangino in Lawrence after 2009. There's just to little to build on and too little to believe in. Sure they've got four out-of-conference creampuffs on their schedule and draw Baylor and Iowa State in Lawrence. But 6-6 didn't get them to bowl game last season and it may not in 2007. A trip to Boulder might be the key game for the Jayhawks, assuming they don't pull any big upsets against Nebraska, Missouri, Texas A&M, or Oklahoma State. A conference title game appearance seems completely out of the question for next season, and really as far as the eye can see.
So the question will come down to, how much is enough for Kansas fans? Is six or seven wins over bad teams enough to keep them happy? Can they do anything to change their image with recruits? While six or seven wins may indeed cut it with fans, recruits so far feel differently which is why I don't see a big upturn at Kansas any time in the near future.
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gregory Jan 29 07
I was going to comment about Kansas firing Glen Mason, then I realized he "big timed" them.
Anyhoo, my only issue with "rock chalk" is Mangino's health. He is the fattest "normal" man in sports, (I'm pretty sure he's bigger than Ralph Friedgen) that I've seen. Someone there, has to step up and perform an intervention.
I admire how his team battles, I just can't get past the "breadth" of the situation. I just don't want to access the sports some morning and find out he's not with us anymore.
Pete Jan 31 07
Sure, sure.