It looks like the football stories need a little boost, so here is a good read from Kevin Haskin at The Capital-Journal: http://cjonline.com/sports/2013-10-24/kevin-haskin-steady-changes-provide-little-impact-ku-attack ↗
It seems like a real matter-of-fact assessment of the state of the KU's offense and program as a whole.
Nice, truthful article. It seems like forever ago when KU won the orange bowl and went to another bowl after that. The only coach who had things going in the right direction got ran out of town. I hate to say it but I've given up on football season until we find a DECENT coach!! I'll let all my hopes rest on the basketball team for a GOOD year!!
I realized its an uphill climb for football, trying to work out the bugs against live foes with this year's KU a 90% different roster than last season's pile-o-****. And poor Sims cant find running room behind the very green Oline, except for a few good plays the first qtr against OU. Maybe that is something the Oline can build off of, as its the first positive sign we have seen. Heaps issues may possibly due to being rattled in the pocket, causing poor throws...Ive seen the same thing happen to good NFL QBs on Sundays, if they get "hurried/knocked-down/sacked". Heck, even the book on Peyton Manning says get in his grill and hit him/sack him...and he isnt the same Peyton after that...But Heaps biggest flaw, frankly is lack of mobility. Look at Alex Smith literally keeping drive after drive alive with positive scrambles off of BUSTED plays (KC has their own WR & TE issues), while Jake is trying to convert 2nd and long or 3rd and forever after "taking" a sack. Frankly, Cummings may be a better option, as he has a serviceable arm, and can scramble. But maybe Cozart is even better at both, who knows?
KU football is in a mess.
I was never on board with the Weis hire for this reason. I figured that, given his age, experience and recent track record, Weis would come in looking for the quick fix to build his reputation back up.
Well, unfortunately the juco experiment has not rendered those immediate results and, unfortunately, most of those players will be gone after next season. Weis almost has to go out and recruit some HS players for next year just so he actually has numbers in 2015.
KU needs to hire someone that wants to stay at KU for the next 10 years. I realize the KU job isn't super enticing, but it's going to take a minimum of three years to build the program up the right way (HS recruits, implementing a culture, playbook, etc.). To do that KU needs to hire someone with a long term plan and give them the flexibility to carry that plan out, even if it means three very rough years while they put those plans in place.
The first thing KU has to do is start winning the recruiting battles in 2 major areas - the KC metro and the Wichita area. Obviously, there are a lot of teams that recruit KC (Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota from the Big 10, MU from the SEC, KSU, Oklahoma, from the big 12), but KU is closest to the city and they have to have those players. In Wichita, KU is constantly seeing guys go to OU, OSU, and other places. That cannot happen if KU is going to improve.
The second thing is to find an identity. Look at what Baylor has done. Baylor used to be the worst program in the major conferences. Now they are a regular in the top 10, and they have a legitimate identity. I'm not saying that KU needs to become Baylor. That is Baylor's identity. KU needs to find an identity and build on that, recruit on that, etc.
The article equates Gill and Weis records but this is misleading. Gill inherited a program a couple of years removed from a BSC Bowl appearance, Weis inherited a program that had been run into the ground and needing a complete rebuild.
Ok, Weis can't make a Mercedes out of VW parts & run a pro style O without 4-5 serious playmakers at several key spots. CW has maybe 2 & one is hurt. If Zenger can get the buyout, it's time to get on the limb & go after a younger successful guy like Eastern Illinois Dino Babers., let all the other people pay Charlie for being Tom Brady's coach. It'snot working out here in Lawrence. We just gotta face it that Charlie ain't cutting the big bucks & a guy like Babers not only would be well within reach money wise, but he's been an assistant at about half dozen high profile top D1 schools, & has a developed his own team that is avging appx 38-39 pts pg. Do we reallty think it can get much worse than it's been the last 5 yrs? I think SZ is more than willing to move on for the right price. Baber's tiny school just barely lost to a NIowa team (23 rank?) 43-38 (appx). .Hell, Columbus took a chance & he had alot more riding on them snakes eyes. JMO guys-take it from here.
I suggest we do like Wichita state did. Drop the football program. We're nothing but a joke anyway & we haven't had a good coach since Mangino who we ran out of town. The salaries that the football are coaches are making just give part of that to basketball & baseball coaches. Then become dominate in the basketball and baseball programs. Obviously our good football facilities are going to waste.
Just basketball and baseball? I enjoy going to fb games and I hate losing! I'm a loyal fan of KU sports. I will always support those fb kids. i have faith that at some point this program will be headed in the right direction. I'm not a fan of WSU.