Nick KrugFor the past seven weeks — six games and one bye — interim head coach Clint Bowen has deflected all questions about his chances of becoming Kansas University’s permanent football coach in the near future by throwing the praise and focus back onto the players and talking in general terms about establishing a foundation the program can build upon regardless of who’s calling the shots next season.
But as the weeks have gone by and the support for Bowen has grown, praise for the job he has done has started to spill over into some pretty significant areas. In back-to-back weeks — after a victory and near-upset of a Top 5 team — two of the biggest coaching names in the Big 12 tossed their support behind Bowen.
First was Iowa State offensive coordinator Mark Mangino, who personally told Bowen that he had earned the job. Then came TCU head coach Gary Patterson, who, after last week’s 34-30 escape over Bowen’s Jayhawks at Memorial Stadium, said KU deserved and needed a guy like Bowen running the show.
That was other people saying this about Bowen, not Bowen himself. And try as he might, Bowen can’t help but pay attention to such comments and appreciate the guys who have uttered them.
“Anytime someone says something positive about you, obviously you notice,” Bowen said. “And it means a lot they took the time to say those things and felt them. For Gary to say that, where he’s been and what he’s accomplished; I don’t make any secret I’ve admired what he’s done. Yeah, that meant a lot to me.”
Bowen and the Jayhawks travel to Oklahoma on Saturday for a 11 a.m. kickoff with the Sooners.
