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Posted
by Matt Tait
March 7, 2013 at 2:03 p.m.
KU coaching staff already comfortable entering Year 2
At this time last year, many of the coaches and even a few of the players in the Kansas University football locker room were new to Lawrence and new to the KU fan base.
Hard to believe, isn't it?
It sure doesn't that seem that way. Maybe it's just the desire to be the debacle that was the Turner Gill Era in the past or maybe it's the personality and presence that the new crew possesses. Either way, it seems as if head coach Charlie Weis and company have been in town for a lot longer than 15 months. And I'm not the only one that feels that way.
“It does a little bit,” said KU quarterbacks coach Ron Powlus when I asked him if it felt like he'd been around longer than one season. “Because we've invested so much here. And not just in this building but my family and being in town. I mean, we love being a part of this community and this campus.”
Therein lies one of the biggest reasons that even though the record looked worse the first year of the Weis era was an absolute success. Never did Gill truly seem like a part of the community. Never did he seem to have genuine pride in KU or the program. That's not a knock. It's the truth. And it's not that way for Weis.
Weis, a man with homes, ties and connections in many different areas of the country, already has made it clear that Lawrence and KU are important to him and his family. He brought his son with him and moved his annual Hannah & Friends golf tournament to nearby Firekeeper Golf Course just months after arriving in town — that's scheduled for late June and should be a blast, by the way. In addition, when he's not out recruiting, Weis is a regular at KU basketball games. And he's not just there. He's into it. He puts off the same vibe about KU's other sports through his Twitter feed by routinely commenting on and congratulating the women's basketball, volleyball and track and field teams.
When it comes to football, Weis' staff routinely follows his lead down whatever path he sees fit. So maybe that's one of the biggest reasons that the beginning of Year 2 feels more like the beginning of Year 5. Either way, these guys are comfortable here and that can only help the program move forward.
“I do feel like I've been here (a while) but it becomes obvious that I haven't when I don't know a lot of people yet,” Powlus said. “We're still learning people and meeting people and it's great. It's a welcoming community, both on campus in athletics and in the community. We feel like we've been here forever and we'd love to stay here forever.”
Comments
Bob48 3 months, 2 weeks ago
Learn to teach Defense, you''l be here forever!
Boouk 3 months, 1 week ago
Campo should be able to play a lot more man coverage and blitz more this year. He should, as last year's zones were predictable and easy to pick apart with screens and play-fakes.
Boouk 3 months, 1 week ago
Even though the special teams and defense will probably never be better than average during Weis' time at KU, we're still lucky to have him. His recruiting plan with all the JUCO's is the best way to get the best players to KU, and the offense will obviously improve tremendously with upgrades at QB, WR, and TE.
ralster 3 months, 1 week ago
This is my problem with some people's posts: Can your mind's eye even SEE that Weis is trying to do something different with his KU defense than he did with his NDame defense by bringing in an NFL-cred, but loves-to-teach defensive fundamentals type-of coach (Campo). Did you see how limited our secondary depth and talent was last year? So what gives you ANY ability to judge the product before it is "produced". Ha-->you list offensive positions, but FAIL to see the bigtime size, speed, and true talent being recruited to the defense? Alot of these bigger, physical DBs and safeties will compete for starting positions. You want to predict, why dont you take your predictions to Vega$ if you believe so much to put your "never be better than average" stuff out in public. Believe what you want (free country). I dont believe in limited-data conclusions-->especially when one is talking about the future!!! You dare to tread into the realm of taking away hope for the future? Pretty stupid thing to do.
Boouk 3 months, 1 week ago
Ralster, I love the optimism, and you brought up a great point in Campo's emphasis on fundamentals and the vastly upgraded and deeper secondary, but I don't think KU's defense will ever be better than average (3rd or 4th in the Big 12 in ppg given up) because Campo will probably still play too much zone coverage and not blitz enough with press-man coverage to knock off the timing of all the NFL caliber QB's and WR's that Big 12 teams have.
TulsaJayhawk 3 months, 1 week ago
Amen!
ralster 3 months, 1 week ago
And what if deep down, Charlie Weis is a competetive personality, hates to lose, and it stung him personally the things that were said about his NDame defense? What if he cant wait to show the world Weis-Defense v2.0 (vastly improved). Granted we all gotta see it to believe it, but Im not about to judge prematurely! Why cant KU football fans simply shut up and wait? Not your or my fault that Lew's failings (Gill) caused us to have to wait so long. Tired of waiting? Who cares! Fact is we all must wait some more to get the talent and than wait after that to get that talent coached-up in the system. No different than waiting for raw Bill Self recruits to be able to actually contribute in live action consistently. Come on!...you people are supposed to know these things!
st20602 3 months, 1 week ago
Why can't people shut up and wait? Because "predictions" are half of sports conversations. He got you to talk didn't he.
Reuben_J_Cogburn 3 months, 1 week ago
Recruiting? Just fine.
In-game coaching? The jury is still out.
See to believe, I suppose.
Reuben_J_Cogburn 3 months, 1 week ago
Weis is a likeable guy....no questions asked. And he is deserving, perhaps, of a free pass for that embarrassing debacle of a first season; due to the absolute abyss Lew Perkins and Turner Gill decided to create.
But I fear that if Weis fails to show signfiicant signs of improvement (meaning WINS) during this second year, we may be faced with yet another hot seat situation....a fate that might become a familiar routine over the course of the next decade.
Such is the plight of KU Football. Doomed by competition until doomed by our own actions.
Rockn_Chalkn_KU 3 months, 1 week ago
It's my fervent hope that our AD won't be so quick to pull the trigger if the 2nd season is a bad one. I suspect he didn't give Turner Gill more than two seasons because he saw things going the wrong way, and he saw nothing in TG that indicated it would change.
iamakufan 3 months, 1 week ago
And we have no idea what transpired behind closed doors. How Gill reacted to Zenger in their discussions. Etc. All those things factor into the decision to keep or get rid of a coach. Or anyone. In any business.
Rockn_Chalkn_KU 3 months, 1 week ago
I'm drinking the Kool-Aid. This Fall will be the 9th year in a row for season tickets, and I can't wait. My expectations are reasonable, but I'll be there each game supporting the team. I love where the program is headed.
Reuben_J_Cogburn 3 months, 1 week ago
Me too....I'm just wary of the Kool-Aid.
Maybe it's because I drank so much of it last year.
jackdavid 3 months, 1 week ago
Ah, we live and learn (hopefully)
frompekka2sasha 3 months, 1 week ago
I'm a realist. Although last year was rough I really do believe that we are going to a BCS bowl. The difference between us and KSU is that we win them.
lushiouslush 3 months, 1 week ago
Do we need to make every article about Weis abot how much better he is than Gill? It's getting exhausting. Is Weis a better coach? most likely. I don't remember a quarter of the articles about how bare Mangino left the cubbard for Gill, but when Gill does it to Weis it's a free pass and he gets built up over and over for how many JUCO recruits he brought in. I just think we need to stop making everything Gill versus Weis based.
If we want the program to be better we shouldn't just be giving free passes to Weis because of Gill. I don't think Weis will be a bad coach, but we don't need to butter him or his staff up at every opportunity. Not questioning his decisions will only hinder the program, not help it. At least pull the blinders off a little with the reporting and questioning.
texashawk10 3 months, 1 week ago
Mangino didn't leave the program as bare people want to believe. There was a decent amount of talent on that team (at least enough to beat a top 15 team) and Gill completely wasted the talent that he inherited and couldn't develop anybody.
jackdavid 3 months, 1 week ago
Live'in the past is just too much fun, isn't it? And so productive!!
tical523 3 months, 1 week ago
-1
ralster 3 months, 1 week ago
lush: It would be laughable to "compare" Gill vs. (any competent football coach). Gill sunk his own ship quickly by ineptitude. His failings extended to loss of control and discipline of his players and it caused many, many academic and a few disciplinary problems. Weis simply had a big mess to clean up, and that takes time. But if you really want to bring up coaching, consider that across the nation and many, many football analysts say Weis is a gifted offensive play-caller. That reputation he already EARNED before he ever set foot into KU's mess. Of course we didnt see much of that ability, as last year's hodge podge, limited talent squad wasnt able to execute consistently. Wait and watch is all I can tell you...y'all will see the difference. I personally saw what Weis did in only 1 year with KC (which had the requisite level of talent). He was/is sorely missed ever since he left after his disagreement with Todd Haley. And Haley (with the same talented roster) proved he was no Charlie Weis...getting himself actually fired due to his ridiculously impotent offense the very next season. Give Weis a chance to get his type of guys and to coach them up, and then see if they can execute the plays. It takes time. I got time, I dont know where all this impatience comes from certain KU fans. Brag later when we actually start winning and beating BigXII foes, not just non-conf types.
lushiouslush 3 months, 1 week ago
I never said he is gonna be a bad coach. He's not my favorite, but we seem to be going in the same direction. I'm just tired of every article being about Weis vs Gill. It's time to move on.
milehighhawk 3 months, 1 week ago
Seemed like a bit of a cheap shot on Gill.
C'mon, Matt, I like your stuff, buddy! He may have been a lousy coach, but unless I've missed something, I had a fairly firm impression that people felt he was a nice, decent guy. To suggest he didn't give a rip about the community seems a bit harsh to have as an aside in an otherwise solid story.
Matt Tait 3 months, 1 week ago
I never said he didn't give a rip about the community. Just that he never seemed like a part of it. That's two different things.
I was around Gill as much as anyone excluding those who lived with him or worked/played for him and I never got the sense that he was truly happy to be in Lawrence. He came for the opportunity to coach in the Big 12 and that's OK, but he never let people in, never connected with the fan base or the donors and I believe that had a lot to do with his departure.
I'm not into taking cheap shots. Never have been and won't start now. But sometimes just stating the facts takes you down that road.
Phoghorn 3 months, 1 week ago
Mr. Tait, that is one of the most interesting and thought-provoking reviews of Coach Gill that I have ever seen on here.
I gave Coach Gill a free pass for his entire first year. I knew that year was going to be very difficult, and I was less surprised than most folks when we lost to North Dakota State.
I finally gave up on Coach Gill late in his second season. I did not expect us to go to an Orange Bowl, given the fact that we had such a young team, but I was hoping to see us at least beat the teams we should beat, and then have competitive losses with an upset win or two mixed in when we played the big boys.
It was only late in his second season when I strongly suspected that Coach Gill might not have been terribly happy in Lawrence.
If my name was Jaybate, I would give you a PHOF!
ralster 3 months, 1 week ago
Stupidly simplistic comment "1-11". You are spinning the title of the article. How about "coaching staff comfortably settled-in for the job at hand"??????? Nobody is comfortable with "1-11", who suggested anyone from SZ to HCCW and anyone in the program or fanbase is "comfortable with 1-11"? Where did that come from?! Went 1-11 for a whole host of analytical reasons, MANY having nothing to do with Charlie Weis. To quote Bill Self: "You want playmakers". (We didnt have enough. Lost 4 games by not making 1 play either on offense, defense, or special teams). The team looked "coached", but because of its talent + depth limitations, it also looked VERY "vanilla". Need time to get talent, then need time to put in the reps and get the timing/execution down...especially for a Weis pro-style "timing" offense. I am hopeful because this isnt the same rehash of the shotgun thing that many BigXII teams are doing. Its a chance to become good at something different, which, by playstyle, may help us get more 4- and 5-star recruits. It has to build itself up, guys. That takes time. Give Weis' kids a chance. What we have is NO finished product.
Raydude 3 months, 1 week ago
ralster......If prose can be animated........You done it, baby!
Phoghorn 3 months, 1 week ago
I have heard of poetry in motion...
TulsaJayhawk 3 months, 1 week ago
I'm a late poster for this article, but ralster is spot on.
vd 3 months, 1 week ago
Not winning 4 games because of a play or two, Weiss is a great improvement. Gill loses 4 games because of a play or two, and he's a horrible coach. CW wins 1 game and his team looks better then Gill's 2 win team. We understand. Gill is not conected with the U, even though his daughter is a student. We understand.
bad_dog 3 months, 1 week ago
While ultimately the metric most important to fans, the teams W-L record is not the only thing one could be "comfortable" or "uncomfortable" about as a member of the coaching staff. I suspect they are quite uncomfortable with the record, but much more comfortable with the school administration, facilities, recruiting to KU, coaches roles, player personnel, the Lawrence community, etc. , etc.
Reuben_J_Cogburn 3 months, 1 week ago
...well that's adorable. Glad everyone's comfortable with the plush environment. It's like a warm blanket.
In the meantime, we're 6-30 over the past 3 years.
But as long as everyone likes the school adminstration, altheltic facilities, restaurants and golf courses.....
Reuben_J_Cogburn 3 months, 1 week ago
Absolutely hate to say it, but I agree with all those points. And we're still paying off Mangino and Gill as well........so the answer is 3.
JJHAWK 3 months, 1 week ago
Havecents - if I was the KU coaches I would be more 'comfortable' at the start of spring ball this year than I was at the start of spring ball last year.
For one: Special teams - especially Kickers has a chance to at least be average. Last year was a dismal failure (an inherited problem Weis had to suffer through). He has had 1 year to recruit to that position so now it is his talent that we can judge - not Gills.
For Two: Quarterback - Christ was coming off an injury - hadn't been getting reps. Heaps got lots of reps last year and everyone says he tore it up. Plus he had a very good year a BYU as a Freshman - so I think I'm more comfortable with our QB situation. Even our backup has had a year under his belt so he should be better.
For three: Running backs - our number one running back is not starting the season with a 3 game suspension. I'm a lot more comfortable with that.
For four: Our skilled pass catchers were substantially below average last year. Weis seems to have recruited well here so we have a chance to at least be average. Even that will make us better. It makes me feel more comfortable than last year at this time.
For five: Team attitude - rereading some of the players interviews has lead me to believe that some of the players that graduated were a me 1st and not a team first (just some comments when players talk about team unity this year). Small perhaps, but I feel more comfortable that this years team is more team oriented.
Last: I am definitely more comfortable with the talent level on defense this year than last year.
Does this mean more victorys. Who knows - that's why they play the games - but I certainly hope so. But off season speculating is part of the fun for fans - reason for blogs and so forth. Myself, I can't wait to see what Weis and Co. does in recruiting and in competition this year.
My optimism is that if Weis & Co continue to have recruiting classes in the middle of the Big 12, then eventually our results will be middle of the big 12. Last year, everyone in the B12 except us went bowling. Being a program with 6-7 victories a year and a bowl game - I can live with that. Go KU.
Reuben_J_Cogburn 3 months, 1 week ago
Ralster,
You're fired up today. I love the enthusiasm; optimism, and blind fandom.
Keep in mind, the people on here are starving for victory and a rise to relevancy. You know me...I've been a pessimist from the start.
But admit it....you can't blame KU fans for being negative or for remaining in utter disbelief of any hype surrounding this football program.
Weis is a good talker, but unfortunately, talk is worthless. For many of us, it's not fairweather fandom.......moreoever it's refusing to accept failure and humiliation as the standard of KU Football. And much of the rhetoric from this staff can be conceived as excuse-conjurring.
Unfortunately, the only thing that will shut up people like me is success on the field. And I hate to break it to you, but the only success that matters is winning.
Win games. Silence the haters.
Rock Chalk.
TxJyHwk 3 months, 1 week ago
Some of us did see a lot of improvement last year, regardless of the W-L record. That is why are willing to give a little bit of time to turn it around. Under Gill, we were going the other way.
To build a consistent program does take time. Sure, you could do things to create immediate impact...but those things rarely last. For instance, whatever Snyder brings to the KSU program....they have ONLY been good when he was coaching
ralster 3 months, 1 week ago
Reuben, you are exactly right in the big picture comment. Of course everyone feels like we have been stuck in mediocrity, no matter who the coach is. The only results that matter to the simpler type of fan is the W/L record. Everybody understands that. But I just absolutely hate the flippant, one-liner, non-analytical type of comments. There is SO much complexity involved in "why we suck". I will pose this question: Some analytically inclined please answer what, in Year 1, would Urban Meyer have done with KU's team in place of Weis? Anybody that wants to b-tch, here is your chance to offer an alternative mental exercise. Tell me what Meyer or 'Bama's coach would have done if handed Gillidiot's roster and the off-field academic double-digit ineligibles, etc...Of course starting THIS year, we judge Weis on W's. Gotta show progress--starting this year. I am not being unreasonable. Just sick of half-dead, knee-jerk, one-liner quipping "fans". Such fans dont deserve W's because you dont understand what Gill did to deconstruct our program, nor do you understand what it takes to rebuild every facet of the program. Everybody is sick of losing. But be prepared to be sick some more. Or I guess y'all half-dead reactionaries just dont have the stomach for it, eh? Just need your "fix"--go watch Bill Self's team for that & feel happy. Man's work going on in the football program, and its only beginning phases right now. I am not expecting us to hit .500 this season. Digest that, if you got the guts to do so.
TulsaJayhawk 3 months, 1 week ago
RJC has just summed up the passion.
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