On November 28, 1957 33 year-old Jack Mitchell was named Kansas University’s 30th head football coach following the departure of Chuck Mather, who, under pressure, tendered his season’s-end resignation with four games left on the ’57 schedule.
Mitchell came from the University of Arkansas where he led the football program for three seasons.
Mitchell would coach the Jayhawks for nine seasons. In December of 1966 he agreed to a buyout of a ten-year contract extension that would have run through the 1970 season. The agreement was reached following 2-8 and 2-71 seasons. Mitchell posted a cumulative 44-45-2 while at Kansas.