On a brighter note, I am starting to recover from the Mike Leach letdown. At first I was in denial (I could not believe we lost him to Washington State of all schools). When the reports came out that Leach was headed to WSU, I felt like the football program should just end. If Kansas cannot beat out Washington State, the futility of the West, then KU should just shut the whole thing down. No more football.
Now it was irrational and immature, but I gradually moved on to the second
stage of recovery: anger/resentment. “Why me?” Why is EVERYTHING going wrong! Leach is gone, Sumlin is gone, Mike Stoops is likely gone, and even safety Keeston Terry is likely gone (to Northern Iowa via transfer). I'm being facetious, but I'm also being truthful at the same time.
After reports came out that KU wasn't all on board with Leach, I skipped
the bargaining and depression stages of recovery, and finally accepted the
situation.
First off, Leach was WSU’s end-all-be-all coach. Their athletic director, Bill Moos, came out with this statement after he fired their head coach, Paul Wulff: "We've
either got to run with the big dogs, or admit that we're a doormat. We can't
wait and embrace mediocrity."
So WSU went public with what they wanted: Leach; KU, on the other-hand, has conducted its coaching search "in
house". We don't even know exactly who they are interviewing.
Also, although I don't know how much of an effect this had, WSU doesn’t have the huge ESPN contract that KU has being in the Big 12. Maybe Leach factored that into his decision?
Don't forget: KU went 2-10 last year and has gone 5-19 in the past two years. WSU went 5-7
last year and plays in the PAC 12 so maybe it was a quicker turn-around.
And finally, Moos had been talking to Leach for quite some time. This hiring wasn't on a whim, rather it was thought out and rehearsed over the past 1-2 months. Even though Zenger had a strong relationship with Leach, I don't think he was the clear-cut target.
As for more coaches, I give you "The Long Shots." With my luck, the next head coach at Kansas may not have even been on this list at all. I've labored over the names and I've tried to make sense of it all, but it feels like a wild goose hunt at times. Here are the next 3 candidates to keep an eye on:
The Long Shots (I would be a little surprised if these candidates get an interview)
Number 10:
 |
| Source: Bleacher Report |
Brent Venables
The Rundown:
Age: 40
Defensive
Coordinator:
2004-Present: Oklahoma
·
In 2006 he was a
finalist for the Broyles Award.
Position
Coach:
1999-2003: Oklahoma
1993-2008: Kansas
State
Ups:
He’s not exactly my top choice, but Venables
certainly has the respect of the nation, being considered one of the games’
bright young minds. He is certainly vivacious and upfront with his players. He’s
the kind of guy you see jumping up and down on the sideline, but he’s also the
guy you see grabbing a player’s facemask. He brings passion to the game, but
sometimes he can be a little Bo Pelini-ish.
He has recruited the Midwest, and especially Kansas,
quite well. He has a keen eye for defensive talent, and he routinely steals
players from KU’s grasp. Not only do you get a great recruiter in Venables, but
you also take that same weapon out of Oklahoma’s hands. KU would be killing two
birds with just one stone.
As far as coaching, Venables was raised under Bill
Snyder’s tutelage, so he knows what it takes to win at this level, and to win
at a small school like Kansas.
I’m not entirely sold on Venables as a head coach,
and I don’t know if he will get an interview, but I keep hearing that he is all
in good faith with Zenger. And you always have the message boards’ rumor mill: apparently
Sheahon Zenger was talking to Venables at lengths before the Kansas/Oklahoma
game. I’m not sure this rumor has any legs to it, but it’s interesting to
think.
Downs:
He’s been a long-time assistant coach for a reason.
I just don’t see a whole lot of leadership characteristics in Venables. Maybe I’m
wrong, but he just comes across as crazy. I’m sorry, I just wouldn’t like the
hire.
Odds of hire: 1 in 30
Number 11:
 |
| Source: Jinx Polynesian |
June Jones
The Rundown:
Age: 58
Head
Coach: (99-69 in college and 5-2 in
bowls, 22-36 in NFL)
2008-Present: Southern Methodist
1999-2007: Hawai’i
1994-1996: Atlanta Falcons (NFL)
Offensive
Coordinator:
1991-1993: Atlanta Falcons (NFL)
Position
Coach:
1998: San Diego Chargers (NFL)
1983: Hawai’i
Ups:
· 2 WAC Championships (2006, 2007)
·
1999 WAC and TSN Coach of the Year
·
1999 American Schutt Sports National
Coach of the Year
·
1999 CNN/Sports Illustrated National
Coach of the Year
·
2006 WAC Coach of the Year
You can’t argue with those awards; Jones does have a
pretty impressive resume. He took a Hawaii team to a BCS bowl game and he has
Texas ties after the past 3 years at Southern Methodist. He has gotten the job
done in the past, no doubt.
Downs:
Can he get it done now? Jones’s in game coaching decisions
are in question by a lot of SMU fans. The program is getting back on its feet,
but fans agree that Jones is starting to lose his touch. He lead a funky
offense in Hawaii with Colt Brennan throwing the football almost 60 times a
game. You probably won’t be able to work that offense with the personnel at
Kansas.
Also, since Kansas is dishing out about 11 million
bucks to former coaches, paying Jones an inordinate amount of money to coach
would be detrimental to the program in the long run. There are plenty of other
suitors who could get Kansas off the ground and running without burning a hole
in Zenger’s pocketbook.
Odds of hire: 1 in 50
Number 12:
 |
| Source: Orlando Sentinel |
Jim Leavitt
The Rundown:
Age: 54
Head
Coach:
1997-2009: South Florida (95-57 and 3-2 in bowls)
Defensive
Coordinator:
1992-1995: Kansas
State
Position
Coach:
2011-Present: San Francisco 49ers (NFL)
1990-1991: Kansas
State
Ups:
South Florida’s football program rose from the ashes
quickly under Jim Leavitt’s guidance. The team’s inaugural season was in 1997,
the year Leavitt took the job, and by 2007, he had elevated the program to a
No. 2 national ranking.
For a team that fielded one of the worst defenses in
the history of the game, bringing in a defensive-minded coach might not be the
worst idea. Leavitt would certainly fit that bill. He coached under Bill
Snyder, and recently in San Francisco where he has helped make the 49ers
defense one of the best in the league.
He also has ties with Sheahon Zenger, when he hired
Zenger to be his recruiting coordinator in 1996, so Leavitt might get a look
just because of that.
Downs:
I’m really, really hesitant to jump on the Leavitt
band-wagon. My main reservation is that Leavitt will not be released from his
NFL contract until the playoffs are over (figuring that San Francisco doesn’t
implode late in the season). I think Zenger wants someone to get in here fast
to instill some much needed discipline into this program, so that might be an
obstacle.
Am I forgetting something? Zenger is looking to hire
someone with football pedigree, but also someone without a lot of baggage.
Leavitt was fired at USF because of allegations about improper treatment of
players. Although Leavitt denied the allegations, this is no Mike Leach case. Leach
was royally screwed in his situation, Leavitt was not. Welcoming Mangino back
to Lawrence wouldn’t go over so well, so who is to think that hiring Leavitt
wouldn’t do the same?
Odds of hire: 1 in 70
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