Tired of losing and tired of the excuses! Coach said they were light in terms of depth throughout the week because of injuries. The only solution for that is to recruit hard and heavy! The last time I looked, we were the lowest-rated recruiting class in the Big 12 by Rivals, and so far we only have 6 commits! It would appear the loss of Dave Doerren as recruiting coordinator to Wisconsin is taking it's toll. K-State and Missouri both have 4-star recruits, and the only one we had is now going to Iowa. Better step it up, Coach!

You need to cut him some slack. Recruiting has ALWAYS been a problem at KU for numerous reasons.

Mangino's teams have always been plagued by offensive inconsistency. Cut him some slack? His salary is in the top tier of Big 12 coaches. Perkins has said Mangino is the man to take the Jayhawks to the next level. They should be held to their own standards. As for recruiting, it could get a lot worse if and when the NCAA yanks scholarships for the academic fraud committed on Mangino's watch.
I want nothing more that KU to be competing for a division title and a top tier bowl. But before that can happen, people need to see this program for what it is, and not what the coach and administration says it is.

There shouldn't be any reason why KU can't recruit good players. The only possible reason I can think of is that maybe the academic standards are higher than other schools. KU has very good facilities (Which will get even better when the football center gets built!), a beautiful campus (Nebraska and Oklahoma can't make that claim!), and close proximity to a large city.
I am totally behind Coach Mangino and KU football. (I have been a fan for too long to give up now!) I am just frustrated with these close losses, and I personally think that the loss of Dave Doerren was bigger than people think.

I'm sorry, KU blew it! Big time!!!!! Kivisto Field? I ask you does any soul in Ks associate this name with football? To name the complex to be built in his name, ABSOLUTLY. But how much better to name the field after people who made it what it is. Such as Gale Sayers, John Riggens, or even our own John Hadl. Come one KU give us a break, how much thought was given to this?

I agree that it would be much more honorable to name the field after a KU great. HOWEVER, we all know that money talks in collegiate athletics. I have no problem with this re-naming of the field given the size of this family's donation. Yes, that sounds terrible, but realistically how are we to compete with Texas, Oklahoma, etc. if we don't have near the athletic budget that they have?? Unfortunately, money is the name of the game and like it or not, the Kivisto's came through with a very generous donation.
I guess, for some reason, I am seeing this team as an optimist. Yes, I am frustrated with all the losses as anyone else, but what did people really expect from this very young, inexperienced team this year? I think even the most optimistic Hawk fan had this team going 8-4 this year. I think you can take 2 roads from this point. You either play Barmann and try to salvage this season to try and go 7-5, or you take KSU's route and throw Meier back in and whatever happens, happens. Realistically, I would like Meier to get the experience and play the rest of the way. He is our future and we need to find out if he is the real deal or not.
I know it is tough to remain optimistic folks, but just remember where you pegged this young team to be at season's start.

KU’s ensuing attempt to answer had to be 80 yards in about a half-minute.

____________________________________________________________

Well, it didn't HAVE to be in a half-minute--not if Mangino actually used his brain and called a timeout when aTm was at the 2-yard-line.

That's what upsets me the most about Mangino: his in-game decision-making leaves a lot to be desired. And not calling a timeout there was one of his worst decisions ever.

As for the field, yeah, it would be nice to have it be Gale Sayers field. But I think at this point that's the least of KU's worries.

i've been just as negative or more negative than anybody on here, but lets not forget Rome wasn't built in a day. I agree, we've had a few games we should've won and playcalling hasn't been the best. But I honestly do not think anybody can say Mangino hasn't been steadily building this program. We all know the team WILL make a bowl game. That's a step forward from the last few years to see if we would. Baby steps, granted we could make less mistakes on the field, I still feel great about the future even though the present situation really stinks. Don't put Mangino in the hotseat. He doesn't deserve it. We had one of the worst football teams in the country just 4 years ago. . . .

With all of that in mind and recruiting talk going on . . . KU hasn't had much to work with to get top recruits here. We do not have one of the top notch facilities, although we're trying to get them. We haven't had an exciting great fan base until a year or two ago. Its been hard to show kids why they should come. Just wait. Our time is coming. I still see it getting better even though its still rough to be a Jayhawk some saturdays.

I think the potential is there for KU. The investment in upgrading the facilities shows a long-term commitment that has been lacking in the past. I do think the program is better than when Mangino arrived, which isn't saying much. Going to a bowl doesn't say much for a team, since all that is required is 6 wins and a non-DI game can be counted. With the investment KU has made in football, along with the weakness of the Big 12 North, KU should go bowling every year, period. That shouldn't be the measure of success. Progress toward winning the North Division should be. That means taking care of business in these close conference games. Coach Mangino says there are no moral victories and no excuses. I take him at his word.

The reason KU lost yesterday has nothing to do with facilities, reqruits, or even the slow offensive game... it was the 3rd and 7 blitz call when A&M was inside their own side of the field. We were ahead and had just stopped the pass twice with a 4 man pressure and then we sent the house. 7 jayhawks were in the backfield, then a perfect screen call. No one blitzes there. dumbest defensive call I have seen in a college football game. Mangino knows it, hence all of his crap excuses from the interviews.

KU has higher admission standards? I think not. It is a state school.

KU Admission Requirements:
Achieve an ACT score of 21 or above or an SAT score of 980 or above, or Earn at least a 2.0 GPA, or
Rank in the top one-third of their high-school class.

KSU Admission Requirements
Score a 21 or higher on the ACT
Rank in the top third of your graduating class
Complete the Kansas pre-college curriculum with a 2.0 GPA

Nope, Can't be the tough KU Admissions...I am afraid that Coach is really not that impressive a guy. Why would a parent trust their kid to someone who seems to lack self discipline? I hope they can get it together, but it looks pretty dismal.

I agree with the folks who say we need to cut Mangino some slack. How soon we forget Terry Allen! 2 bowl games in 4 years and 1 with a win and one of the biggest donation getters in KU football history. The biggest problem we have now is that even though Barmann is doing well(and I sing his praises)he is not the runner that Meier is. Meier has 146 yds rushing in 3 games and averages almost 4 yds per carry. He is an obvious running threat whereas Barmann is not. Some of our best 2nd and 3rd down plays were option plays that Meier ran well. Without Meier that takes one whole dimension out of the offense for the opponent to defend. With Barmann, opponents only need to defend the pass and stack it against Cornish. Cornish had one long run against TAMU. Without it he only had around 80 yds rushing. Meier will make a difference. He just needs to learn how to run and protect himself by not doing cartwheels into the endzone.

I am a KU alum and one of the biggest KU sports fans around, especially football, and I'm just as frustrated as the rest. I agree that Mangino may not be all he has been hyped to be. His in-game play calling has been questionable. Recruiting has also not improved much since he's been here. I agree that some of the problems lie with the institution, since KU has never been known for football or it's facilities or it's fan base....why would someone choose to play football at KU over Nebraska or Texas or Oklahoma? But some of the blame lies with Mangino and his staff as well. It's sad to say, but I somewhat agree with a previous comment that it's hard to trust your son's football career to someone who does, for a better term, lack self-control and is extremely unhealthy. Yes, we are better off than we were before Mangino got here, but that's not saying much. We are moving in the right direction, and our new facilities and growing fan base helps, but we need to see more immediate results, especially with the Big XII North being the weakest it's ever been. We may still make a bowl game, but we need to start measuring success in other ways...it's not too difficult to make a bowl game these days!! Fans are expecting and needing to see some more immediate results! Hang in there Jayhawks...hopefully we'll get there soon!

KU Fans....It's not the players...but Mangino and his coaching staff!!!
Mangino and his coaching staff call the wrong play at the wrong time and make bad decision. KU should be 6-0, but as long as Mangino coach to not lose instead of coaching to win, KU will never be a Big 12 Champ.

For example; Toledo…..In the first overtime, KU stop Toledo. KU just needed a field goal to win. Instead of playing it safe and run the ball three times than kick the winning field goal …JACKASS deiced to throw the ball….Well we know the rest of the story.

2. Nebraska….When KU took the lead 25 to 24 in the 4QT. Instead kicking the extra point, NO JACKASS had to go for two…..If KU kick the extra point KU SHOULD won 33 to 32.

3. Texas A&M…. Mangino and his coaching staff never attempt to throw the long ball or the in zone like they did again Nebraska only when time was running out. Coach Mangino call the same old plays that gain NO yard and the plays that gain good yards, they will not call again!!! Third and one…Everybody in the world knew who getting the ball…. Jon Cornish!!! Quote from the Wichita newspaper “It wasn't much of a call, but Mangino said he felt limited because of Barmann's inability to handle the football on the option. That let me know two things; Mangino and his coaching staff DO NOT have confident in their players THEY put on the field and secondly Mangino coaching to not lose instead of winning. But the most up setting about the A&M game, when Mangino and his coaching staff never called one of two remaining timeouts, which would have saved the Jayhawks 20 or 25 seconds for their upcoming possession..... Well we know the rest of the story.

My point…Please support KU football players, they play with hand that is dealt to them by coach Mangino and his staff. Unstill coach Mangino and his staff start opening up the playbook, no matter who starting….KU will NEVER be Big12 Champ and that kill me.

Mangino needs to staple his stomach and present himself in a classy manner. How can Mangino come across to recruits as a disciplined coach and a coach who wants a winning program when he doesn't look the part?