In fact, the former Oklahoma and Kansas State assistant embraces the fact.

“I spent so much time in the film room at OU and K-State that I forgot where the weightroom was,” Mangino quipped during his press conference Tuesday afternoon at Hadl Auditorium. “I told them to take that board that’s used for sit-ups and throw it out.”

However, he probably didn’t think it would be such a popular subject with the media it certainly wasn’t during his interview with KU athletics director Al Bohl, seated to Mangino’s left during the press conference.

“No, he never brought it up at all,” Mangino said of the AD.

Added Bohl, “It was never an issue at all.”

One of the questions concerning Mangino’s weight had to do with hefty Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen, who has directed the Terrapins to a 10-1 record and top-10 ranking in his first season.

“Thank goodness for Ralph Friedgen,” Mangino said with a laugh. “I met Ralph last year at the (Frank) Broyles Award and I liked him as soon as I met him.”

Mangino went on to say he has never had problems with players not listening to him because of his size.

“It has never hurt my credibility at all with any of the kids I coached,” he said, “because they know when I come to work I’m the first one there and the last one to leave and I pay attention to every detail and I coach them to the best of my ability, and that’s where the credibility comes in.

“It’s not what you look like. It’s how you work and how you do your job.”