Kansas Head Coach Mark Mangino took the podium on Monday to talk about the regular season finale against the Mizzouri Tigers in the annual Border Showdown in Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. Mangino also answered questions about the ongoing internal investigation and how his team is dealing with the rampant media speculation. The main topic though, was the outgoing senior class and the impact they have had on the University of Kansas and football program in general.
Mangino started off by discussing the importance of the Mizzou game to the players and fanbase.
“We have our border rival. It is an exciting week here because our players really get excited about this and our fan base really gets excited about this game. It generates a lot of interest in the region. In the last few years, it has also gained some national attention, which is good for both universities and good for the rivalry. We are looking forward to it.”
Scouting the Tigers and creating a gameplan is the main focus for Mangino and the staff for this week. He gave the media a little insight into what Mizzou does well.
“Missouri is a fine team. They also have a very fine quarterback in Blaine Gabbert. They have some talented receivers. I know that (Jared) Perry is injured so he will not participate, but Alexander is outstanding. Denario Alexander is an outstanding player who leads that group. Derrick Washington, their running back, is very good. They are aggressive on defense. It will be a good match-up for us. We are looking forward to it; certainly I think it will be a great game. I can tell you our players are excited.”
One of the keys to Missouri’s improved play over the year has been the progession of Blaine Gabbert.
“He looks to be more comfortable with the offense as a whole. He seems to be seeing things a lot better. He has always had the physical abilities, so I think his comfort zone has improved since the middle of the season.”
The direction of the questions soon changed course to the internal investigation that involve Mangino and some of his current and former players. Mangino started by discussing is relationship with Athletic Director Lew Perkins.
“I stated already what my relationship is with Lew. It is a good working relationship. That is my point of view and perhaps you should pose that question to him. I think it would be fair. I have a good working relationship with him, and that is my perception of it.”
Mangino next discussed his desire to keep his job and continue coaching the University of Kansas.
“Hey I am coaching. I believe in my players and I believe in this program. We have a lot of hard work invested here. We have players who have made great investments into this program. We have assistant coaches and support staff people who have made this the single focus of their lives for several years, and me personally. As I have said before, I have put every waking moment of my life, since I got hired here, into this football program. To be honest with you, when I am not a work, I am still at work. This job, for me, has been something I have put my heart and soul into making better and to make this football program something our fans and alumni and supporters can be proud of. So, I’m coaching and I’m going full-speed ahead.”
With all of the success that Mangino has had over the years, one would find it strange if he feels appreciated. With recent events, Mangino wonders.
“Well, I don’t know, but let me put it to you like this: I have had overwhelming support from former players, fans, people that I have coached with and coached against, as well as strangers. There have been so many emails and phone calls and text messages in the last week to me, my family, my staff and my support staff. Even many parents have contacted the office. My only regret is right now, I am focused on Missouri and I cannot return all those messages. But I will eventually and a lot of them are related to this university in one way or another. I don’t even know where to begin to tell you how many kids have contacted the office. Marcus Henry, Brandon McAnderson, Nick Reid, Brandon Watson, Charles Gordon. I could stand up here and rattle names off for an hour. Parents have also expressed support. So, I think I am appreciated by a lot of people. I really do believe that, I just do not know who everybody is who appreciates my work and the work of my coaching staff.”
Mangino next had to answer questions about whether he is coaching this game like it is his last at Kansas.
“No, I am coaching and I am focused on coaching. I am still standing and I am going to keep going because I believe in what we are doing. What I believe and what I think is probably not as important as what others are believing and thinking who are involved in this situation. I can tell you that I am going strong and I am really focused on Missouri. The players are as well. We want to get bowl eligible. Believe me, the focus of the team and coaching staff has not waivered. We are still working as many hours as we always did and we are doing all the same things we do for preparation, as are the players. I am moving forward. Full-speed ahead.”
With the Border Showdown being the premier rivalry in Kansas football, Mangino reflected if this game would define his legacy.
“We want to win the game, but if my tenure here is to be based on one game, then I think that would be a sad affair for all of us. I hate to think that just one game would determine the future of us after eight years, our body of work over eight years. It is business as usual. Our kids are intelligent kids. They can read and they hear things. I think they believe in what we are doing here. They want to win this game. It is important to them not just because it is our border rival, but it is an opportunity to go to a bowl game three years in a row. We are talking about a program that has never gone to bowl games in back-to-back years. We are now talking about the possibility of going three consecutive years. That is important to the kids. They have a chance to leave a legacy here, and they want to do that, especially to the senior group. They want to win the game. They get a big kick of going over and playing at Arrowhead; they get pumped up for that. This is a big week. They are not distracted and they won’t be. They understand that all that hard work that started in the weight room in the wintertime and spring football and summer training camps can still pay off by winning on Saturday.”
Mangino also feels for the his players and especially his seniors, considering that the focus over the last week has been placed on him instead of the team.
“Let me tell you where I have some sorrow. Last week, our quarterback, who is one of the most prolific players in the history of the program and has done so many great things for our program and who is a scholar and outstanding citizen, was going back to his hometown to play, and nobody wanted to write about that. Very few people did. I think when that happens; you are disappointed for the player. This is the Border War game this week and I think the media here is going to be writing about the game predominately because it is a big game. It is big for KU. It is big for Missouri. It is Kansas City. It is big for the state of Kansas and big for the state of Missouri. I think there should be more focus on that. I think we missed an opportunity to celebrate a great player going home last week, and that is a disappointment.”
With a win over Missouri, Kansas will become bowl eligible. Even with a victory, it is still possible that Kansas could not be invited to a bowl game.
“Well, first of all, we are going to go into the Missouri game very confident. We know we are playing a good team and we are not going to take Missouri for granted. We are not fools. We have lost some games, but we are not fools. We know they are a formidable team, but we are going in confident to play them. From everything I am hearing from my sources, who I think are pretty credible, they tell me that 6-6 for us in the Big 12 would qualify us for a bowl.”
Mangino also talked about his relationship with Todd Reesing and his importance to the Kansas program over his four years.
“We have had a good time together here. We have had great successes. We have faced adversity together. He is just a lot of fun to be around. I have enjoyed his enthusiasm, his wit and his company. There are many players, not just Todd, who are like that. But Todd is a bubbly guy, who has made things fun even when times are tough. He is comical and has some levity to him. He is a wonderful kid. As I said, he is not only a great player, but he is highly intelligent. He does a tremendous job in the classroom. If you are talking about economics and finance, he is right on top of it. He will tell me about the dollar deflating and the market going up and I say ‘well I don’t care what is deflating, I just want the market to go up’. He is a smart guy and he has been a lot of fun. We have all good memories here and I don’t think anything is going to distract from all the good times we have all had together with Todd. I would love to see him go out in style here this Saturday.”
Mangino also talked about the impact of Kerry Meier on the program and the adversity that he has had to overcome to become a legend at KU.
“Kerry Meier is just a phenomenal player and person. I have said this a million times. Maybe you get tired of me saying it, but you shouldn’t because it is positive and you should never get tired of positives in our lives. Kerry Meier is a very unique individual. He possesses some traits that are very difficult to see in just the average college student, and I mean that sincerely. He, first of all, understands the value of hard work. His philosophy in life is to give more than to receive. He wants to be helpful, he doesn’t want to be helped, and what I mean by that is he is not needy. But he is always giving to others. He is unselfish. He was one of the top-rated quarterbacks in the country coming out of high school and he made a shift to receiver without even a whimper or a word. When we asked him, he said ‘If you think it will help the team, I will do it’. He probably could have went and played quarterback somewhere and had a tremendous career. He could have thrown up his hands and said, ‘I’m transferring. You recruited me as a quarterback and I am leaving’. Instead, he said, ‘What can I do to help the team’. And he is one of the most prolific receivers who has ever played here. That is saying something about his character. I tell our players all the time, and I mean this. In 30 years of coaching, a lot of players have come and gone. I can’t remember everybody’s stats. What I remember about them is their character. And he [Meier] will be remembered for a long time. Let me give you an example. Josh Heupel, one of my former players. I don’t remember how many touchdown passes he threw or how many yards he passed for, but when he calls or when I see him, I think of who he is and his character. Kerry Meier is the same type of guy. I wont remember how many balls Kerry Meier caught here. Ten years from now, I won’t have a clue, but I will remember his character. And that carries you a long way in life, more so than any stats. Trust me when I tell you.”
Lastly, he talked about how Darrell Stuckey has progressed over his career and made the most of his ability.
“Darrell Stuckey has made the most of his ability. Darrell did not have another Division I offer, except us. We just loved the kid. He came in here and worked in the program and worked in the program and worked in the program and just got better and better and better every year. He is another guy who is out doing community service work and reaching out to others. He gives more than he takes. So, who knows what the final record of the team will be, but I know the kids who play on it and their character. I don’t know what that means to all of you, but it means a lot to me. It does.”
