Actual Photo - Not Action Figure
In the capsizing wake of student-beater Mark Mangino’s departure, Kansas Football was able to land probably their second choice to head the heralded program. Turner Gill returns to the Big 12, but has no history with Kansas besides defeating its football team several times. Gill’s connections with Texas are expected to help recruiting, but really I don’t see how his going to high school in Forth Worth will attract top athletes to the hellhole that is Lawrence, KS.
This Sumo can’t be counted on to give an objective opinion of the effect a popular new coach will have on my hated rival, but let’s get real here: the prestige of Kansas football has a born-on date. That date is October 6, 2007, when KU beat K-State on the road and broke into the AP Top 25. In other words, Kansas enjoyed two years of “prestige” before the fit hit the shan with Mangino. All that positive exposure was liposucked by controversy – with a quickness. Now, the team’s leaders and athletes have graduated or used up their eligibility, and Gill is picking up basically where Mangino did in 2001.
I am amazed AD Lew Perkins did not go after Charlie Weis or another coach of Mangino’s “stature.” At least then the Jayhawks wouldn’t have to change their fight song (starts at 3:15 – the intro is a metaphor for Kansas Football, 2009-2013):
