Nick KrugAustin, Texas ? Texas coach Mack Brown admits he doesn’t know Kansas University coach Mark Mangino that well. He also doesn’t know many of the circumstances surrounding KU’s investigation of Mangino in the last week.
Still …
“What I do know is that Mark’s won a lot of games. I do know that he did a great job when he was at Oklahoma as the offensive coordinator,” Brown said after his team’s 51-20 victory over KU on Saturday night. “And I also know that when you can only play 11 kids, there’s a lot of disgruntled kids on a football team. I do know that for a fact.
“I’m not calling out those kids that have said something, but he’s been there for eight years, and I’ve got a great respect for what he’s done on the field, I know that.”
Brown said he heard all week from people believing that the Jayhawks would come into the game unmotivated.
That’s not what he saw Saturday.
“That team didn’t look like there was anything wrong with it tonight. I thought they fought really hard,” Brown said. “You don’t fight that hard unless you’re fighting for coaches and yourselves. I thought that sent a message that those kids haven’t given up yet.”
Even on Texas quarterback Colt McCoy’s Senior Night, Brown couldn’t help but admire three of KU’s standouts.
One was quarterback Todd Reesing, who grew up in Austin and went to Lake Travis High School.
“What a great career,” Brown said. “I told him, ‘You’ve done for Kansas what Colt’s done for Texas.'”
Reesing completed 25 of 39 passes for 256 yards with an interception.
“Boy, he was hot,” Brown said. “He didn’t miss.”
Brown sought out KU wide receiver Kerry Meier after the game, but couldn’t find him on the field.
Brown admitted part of UT’s game plan was to slow down Meier, and the senior still had seven catches at the intermission.
“He’s been unbelievable, too,” Brown said. “To be a quarterback and go in and lose and be unselfish and be a second-team quarterback … and he’s such a great receiver.
“They call him a possession (receiver), but he can run. He just makes so many other plays underneath.”
Brown’s praise continued to Dezmon Briscoe, who, like Reesing, also grew up in Texas (Dallas).
“Briscoe’s one of those big, tall fast guys, and what a game he had tonight as well,” Brown said. “I thought he and Todd were probably sending a message to us that we messed up.”
