“They helped pave the way here for the future,” Mangino said. “The kids hung in there through tough times and were able to finish their careers in a bowl game. They certainly would have liked to have won the game, but they are the cornerstone of the process of building a quality football program at the University of Kansas.”

Many of KU’s seniors were recruited by former coach Terry Allen, and they endured three — and in some cases four — miserable seasons before this year’s bowl trip.

“I’ve been here 31/2 years,” said senior offensive lineman Danny Lewis, a former junior-college transfer. “I came in under coach Allen. It’s done a full 180. We got rid of lots of dead weight. The bar definitely got raised by them brining in such good players.”

Mangino arrived in December of 2001 following KU’s sixth consecutive losing season. The former Kansas State and Oklahoma assistant set higher expectations for his players, and many quit or transferred. The Jayhawks struggled through a 2-10 season in Mangino’s first season and failed to win a Big 12 Conference game.

Not much more was expected of Kansas in 2003, but the Jayhawks started 5-2 before senior quarterback Bill Whittemore was injured against Kansas State and missed the next three games. KU finished the regular season 6-6.

“It’s a little tough to swallow,” Lewis said of Monday’s loss, “but we went from 2-10 to a bowl game this year when people said we’d be lucky to win three games. It’s nothing but good for this program.”

Kansas hopes to build on its first bowl trip since 1995, but Mangino will have to do it without eight seniors who started against N.C. State. The Jayhawks also will face a much tougher schedule in 2004 because the Big 12 rotates its lineup next season. Instead of facing Big 12 South foes Baylor, Texas A&M and Oklahoma State, KU will face national powers Oklahoma, Texas and pass-happy Texas Tech.

Improving pass defense will be a vital offseason goal after NCSU’s Philip Rivers lit up the Jayhawks for 475 yards and five touchdowns, despite leaving with more than eight minutes left in the game.

“We have got to get better on defense, and that will be a focus of mine for the next several months,” Mangino said. “I think we have some talented young guys. We just have to keep working on it.”

KU struggled to put pressure on quarterbacks most of the season. The Jayhawks will have a much different look up front and must replace senior starters Reggie Curry, Cory Kipp and Sid Bachmann on the line. KU signed five junior-college players last week and has nine known commitments from high-school players, but only one of those — Jermail Ashley (6-foot-5, 245 pounds) of Tyler Junior College — was a defensive lineman.

KU also must replace senior defensive backs Dan Coke and Remuise Johnson. That recruiting need has been addressed. Mangino already signed

Theodore Baines (5-10, 180) of Tyler Junior College and Rodney Harris (6-0, 190) of San Bernardino Valley College. Prep prospects Raymond Brown (6-2, 191) of St. Louis and Aqib Talib (6-2, 185) of Richardson, Texas, are expected to follow suit in February.

Mangino still must ponder where to put two freshmen offensive standouts — receiver Charles Gordon and running back John Randle — who also played cornerback in the final four games.

On offense, KU most find replacements for starters Whittemore and linemen Lewis and Adrian Jones.

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Mangino has five other quarterbacks already in the program, with freshman Adam Barmann (6-4, 210) the player likely to enter spring drills at the top of the depth chart. He started three games while Whittemore was out with a broken collarbone and passed for 564 yards and four touchdowns.

Jason Swanson (6-0, 190) of City College of San Francisco was an early signee, and Cedar Hill, Texas, quarterback/receiver Marcus Herford (6-3, 205) has given an oral commitment.

The Jayhawks appear to be stocked on the offensive line with Alan Erving (6-5, 300) of Chaffey College among the early signees. High school prospects Ryan Cantrell (6-3, 265) of Sugar Land, Texas; Todd Haselhorst (6-4, 284) of Olathe and Scott Haverkamp (6-4, 275) of Silver Lake also have committed.

Red-shirt linemen expected to contribute next season include freshman tackle Cesar Rodriguez (6-7, 253) and Air Force transfer Matt Thompson (6-5, 295).

Another need will be punter where a replacement must be found for senior Curtis Ansel.

KU’s seniors were confident their bowl trip wasn’t a one-year fluke.

“We’re hoping we started a tradition here,” said Jones, a fifth-year senior. “Next year they’re going to come back and win it. We’ve made a turning point for the underclassmen.”

The Jayhawks will begin winter workouts with strength and conditioning coach Chris Dawson Jan. 23.

“It was an eye opener for us because we had the chance to experience a bowl,” junior receiver Brandon Rideau said. “We’re looking forward to coming back next year and getting better.”