Now that interim head coach Clint Bowen is officially into his stint as the Jayhawks’ head coach, it’s time to examine a few of the more minor details of his takeover that got lost in the celebratory manner in which he transitioned into the job.
**One of the important things to remember about Bowen’s time as interim head coach** is that just because he has the “interim” tag in front of the title does not mean he is not loaded with responsibility. Not only does he have to run the team, come up with the defensive game plan and handle all of the media obligations of the head coach, but he also has within his grasp complete control of his personnel. He showed he understands that last week when he benched starting quarterback Montell Cozart and replaced him with Michael Cummings and also did the same with starting center Keyon Haughton in favor of red-shirt freshman Joe Gibson.
Don’t be surprised if you see more moves in the next few days and in the coming weeks — as Bowen has said clearly, the players have to earn the right to play — and don’t be surprised if the same concept extends to the roles, responsibilities and input of the coaching staff, as well. Now five games into the season, it’s abundantly clear that Bowen and the Jayhawks have to consider every option and angle in their efforts to get the offense going. And that might mean listening to any idea that anyone on the staff has, from the full-time offensive and defensive assistants to the GAs and lower-profile staff members.
OK, now on to some more concrete details…
**First off, Bowen’s contract did not change.** He’s still being paid as the school’s defensive coordinator for his nine weeks as interim head coach.
**On a similar note,** Bowen will not be making any money for taking over Weis’ role as the featured guest on the weekly Hawk Talk radio show, which airs every Monday night from 6-7 p.m.
**As far as where Bowen does most of his dirty work, that did not change either.** Bowen did not move into the corner office reserved for the head coach when Weis moved out but he has access to both his old office and the head coach’s office so he can have easier access to the coaches on both sides of the ball.
**Speaking of Bowen’s office,** in one of his first meetings with the players following Weis’ departure, Bowen informed the team that his door would always be open and even warned them that if he saw any of them making their way into the hallway of coaches offices in the back of the football complex, they would have a meeting. It did not matter if it was one or two guys or a group of 10, Bowen said he would always make himself available to the team whenever they needed to see him. And, on the very first day after he was assigned his new role, nearly 85 members of the team made their way into his office at one point or another to check in with their new leader.
