Donald Steeples search his emotions.
“I don’t know if shocked is the right term. I guess surprised,” said Steeples, a member of the now lame-duck committee formed last Thursday to search for Glen Mason’s replacement as Kansas University’s football coach.
Mason announced before Monday’s Aloha Bowl, that he was staying at Kansas instead of going to Georgia.
Steeples, a Kansas University geology professor and a member of the KU Athletic Corp. board, is one of seven members of the search committee, which was to begin work on Wednesday.
“I’m initially pleased that I don’t have to spend a bunch of time in committee meetings over the next two weeks,” Steeples said.
Another member of the seven-member search panel, Todd Sutherland, a Lawrence banker, said he was “absolutely” pleased Mason decided to stay.
“I think it’s a positive, all the way around,” Sutherland said. “Any time you can maintain a guy who has been here for eight years, it’s a positive.”
Any negative reaction among fans or recruits about Mason’s waffling will be short-lived, both Steeples and Sutherland predicted.
“I think it’s pretty obvious we’ve got one of the best coaches in the country and we’re going to keep him,” Sutherland said. “It’s a great Christmas present for the Jayhawks.”
Since Mason’s first announcement five days ago, recruits haven’t had time to decide whether to sign with other school, Steeples said.
“It may confuse a few,” Steeples said. “The bottom line is I don’t think it would hurt recruiting much at all. Particularly with the way they took UCLA apart today.” Fan reaction will also be upbeat, Steeples predicted.
“I think the ones who love Mason, will love him even more,” Steeples said. “I gotta think that the net effect is positive.”
Steeples, who played defensive end in 1965 for Kansas State, said Mason’s about-face reminded him of when former KSU coach Jack Hartman did the same thing the late 70s.
“He left K-State for a couple of days to go to Oklahoma State,” Steeples said. “Then he went back to K-State and finished his career there. I think it would be nice for KU if Mason did the same thing here.”
