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Friday, October 26, 2007

Unbeaten Jayhawk football team keeps it loose

By Ryan Wood

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He rarely shows it publicly, but Kansas University football coach Mark Mangino has a clever sense of humor when he lets it out.

Lately, quarterback Todd Reesing has been his number-one target.

Well aware of Reesing's easy-going personality, Mangino poked fun at his QB during a recent practice when Reesing threw an awful pass.

"Are you OK?" Mangino asked, sarcastically. "Do we need to get the trainer for you?"

Reesing shrugs it off with a smile. Such looseness is crucial for a team going places, and KU's regular-guy quarterback is nothing if not loose.

"You've got to be able to have some fun and lighten up with them a little bit," Mangino said. "I think that's good. It doesn't affect the work. It just shows that we're all human."

Yes, life automatically is a little more fun for a 7-0 football team like No. 12 Kansas, which heads out today to College Station, Texas, for a Saturday showdown at Texas A&M.

One of the perks of being successful, of course, is the luxury to cut up a little bit out there so long as the winning continues. And Kansas definitely is taking advantage at this point.

"We try to have some fun," Mangino said. "It can't all be work out there. Kids will wear down."

That's why stories surface such as this one: During the fourth-quarter of a nonconference snoozer last month, Reesing was standing on the sideline, his night complete, when Mangino in a dead-serious tone demanded that the quarterback go find his helmet.

"What if you had to go in the game right now?" Mangino barked.

"I'd go get it, I guess," Reesing said.

Reesing scrambled to find his lid, only to find Mangino laughing when he got back.

"You can just pull his chain a little bit," Mangino said. "He'll give you that look and go back to the huddle. His personality is what helps him be so successful. He has the makeup where not too much is going to bother him. He likes to have fun, he likes to pull chains."

Such lightness spreads. Senior running back Brandon McAnderson became a fan favorite while on ESPN last week, when in one take he breezed through a voice-over introducing KU's offensive starters, referring to Reesing as the "Fun Slinger," Marcus Henry as "They call him Mute, we call him Mutation" and Anthony "Mama's Gotta Eat" Collins, a character in his own right.

Reesing, interestingly enough, claimed he never had heard of "Fun Slinger" before, but whatever.

Sometimes fun has to be done on the run.

"We work the kids very hard. We've never ever said we didn't," Mangino said. "But you've got to be able to have some fun and lighten up with them a little bit."

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Comments

okjhok (anonymous) says...

Awesome...good article going into a Friday. Anyone know of a good aTm message board where I can go mix it up a bit? You know, go "mess" with Texas.

October 26, 2007 at 6:05 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

JBurtin (anonymous) says...

Ah man, don't be a willie, have some class.

October 26, 2007 at 6:55 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

JBurtin (anonymous) says...

Sounds like B-Mac may have another profession on the horizon when his football days are over. People who can think on their feet and give a smooth delivery are hard to find.

Lou Holtz may be the only major pundit on our side this year, but I still can't figure out how they thought it was a good idea to put that guy on tv. He sounds like he's speaking through a mouthful of marbles.

October 26, 2007 at 6:58 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

okjhok (anonymous) says...

I don't know what class has to do with it...or willie. I just like to chat with those that may have different thoughts than my own. It's often more enjoyable than reading everyone's comments on here that are basically the same. Just looking for some variety, that's all.

October 26, 2007 at 7:46 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

okjhok (anonymous) says...

Seems a lot of the "experts" are anticipating a high scoring game this weekend, a la 35-27 and the like. Seems a little high to me. Does anyone know the over/under?

October 26, 2007 at 8:19 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

KU (anonymous) says...

okjhok.......I can't see aTm scoring much on KU. If they score more than 21 I would be surprised.

October 26, 2007 at 8:37 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

klong (anonymous) says...

I think a lot of people are thinking way to high on the score. I don't think we will score that much either. I think being on the road and everything it will be more like 24 to 17. I would love for it to be a blowout but don't think that will happen. I'll just be happy to get out of there with a one point win and be 8-0.

October 26, 2007 at 9:26 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

ramsrevenge (anonymous) says...

Okjhok, here's a link to their student newspaper story about the game. Doesn't look like they comment as much as we do on their stories. I love what they stated as our weaknesses though.

http://media.www.thebatt.com/media/st...

October 26, 2007 at 9:39 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

justanotherfan (anonymous) says...

That's funny that they say we have no weaknesses, like Ron Prince did before the KSU game. This is a very balanced, very complete football team.

This squad is an improvement in every facet over previous teams. Line play is very steady. We have playmakers on both sides of the ball. About the only concern has been punt returns. Even our kicking game has been varying between excellent (Webb) and shaky but passable, then great in the punt game.

I just hope that we as fans, and the program as a whole, sees this year not as an end, but rather as the first step towards respectability and national recognition for the football program. In this part of the country, year in, year out dominance is not assured (just ask the folks to our north). The production and excellence of the program is dependent on continuing to recruit well and continuing to develop players, even as we land more talented recruits (i.e., develop the 3 and 4 star recruits into 5 star players, just as we have developed the 2 and 3 star recruits into 4 and 5 star players) and getting the most out of our players.

October 26, 2007 at 10:21 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

JayViking (anonymous) says...

That's funny.

October 26, 2007 at 10:22 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

justanotherfan (anonymous) says...

Link from espn

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/st...

October 26, 2007 at 10:51 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

100 (anonymous) says...

KU fans: still time to jump in a car and drive down to College Station -- go pump the team up in person!!! It will be a great weekend to remember! KU football players: The top 25 preseason basketball polls just came out -- guess what? Most of us KU FANS haven't checked the polls because we're too busy watching you guys play awesome football!!!! you guys are making us crazy proud! Get pumped up this weekend -- no letdowns! Challenge yourselves. Go play the best game you can and, if you get the lead, hit harder, play faster, extend it and keep extending it! KU Coaches: Great job so far! keep your players fired up this weekend -- A&M is a great team!!!! And they're great people, just like us -- respectfully shake their hands after the dust has settled between these two great teams... Rock Chalk Jayhawk!

October 26, 2007 at 11:14 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

jpstrayer (anonymous) says...

This football/basketball comentary needs to stop...First I am a fan of KU...not nust KU football, KU basketball or KU etc....

I think most people, including myself are able to follow more than one sport at a time.

October 26, 2007 at 11:51 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

Jayhawk86 (anonymous) says...

You can mix it up here as well. KU Getting no respect at all.

http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/convers...

October 26, 2007 at 11:52 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

scootja32 (anonymous) says...

I can't believe the first game I get to go to is in freaking november. How disappointing; but I guess I'll at least get to see Nebraska get whooped

October 26, 2007 at 4:26 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

OklahomaJayhawk5 (anonymous) says...

Have any of you guys been subject to other people calling you band wagon fans for having KU stuff on? Maybe its because I live in Oklahoma, but man its really starting to get old!

October 26, 2007 at 4:52 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

actorman (anonymous) says...

Look at it this way: as long as people keep calling you that, that means KU is still winning. As annoying as it must be, I'd say it's still worth it.

October 27, 2007 at 1:14 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

LinkTetra (anonymous) says...

OKJayhawk, it's almost the other way around for me. I go to college at Northern Illinois. At the beginning of the year, I noticed that there was quite a large amount of KU fans here. Even so, during the past few weeks, the number of Jayhawk apparel I've seen has nearly doubled. Whether they're bandwagon fans or not (Giving up on the Huskies, maybe? Heh.), everyone always waves and gives me a thumbs up when they see my hoodie. It's nice to be around a large out-of-state fanbase. :)

October 27, 2007 at 5:06 p.m. ( | suggest removal )