Kansas Football: A new Athletic Director means a new attitude for Jayhawks Football
By Chris Taylor
The University of Kansas has hired Jeff Long as their new Athletics Director. This move is the beginning of an upward climb for the Kansas Football program.
It’s no secret that the University of Kansas is a “basketball” school. Even if the Kansas Football team was decent on a routine basis, Bill Self and his basketball team are so dominant, the school would still be considered a basketball school. That stigma may be going away very soon.
The firing of Sheahon Zenger brought about much speculation that big changes were on the way for the Kansas Jayhawks. Specifically, Kansas Football.
The Jayhawks have been one of the bottom dwellers of college football for decades, but recent years have seen them at an all-time low. They have won a total of five conference games since 2008.
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Kansas has had only one winning record in the Big12 since 1996, the year Mark Mangino led them to a 12-1 record, finishing tied for first in the conference and an Orange Bowl victory.
Since Mangino was fired following the 2009 college football season, the Jayhawks have been a literal laughing stock of college football.
The hiring of Jeff Long is bound to change the culture around Kansas, and the attitude the school has towards football. Long was the assistant AD at Michigan when they won the title in 1997. He’s been in the same position or close to it at Oklahoma, Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh, and his latest stop, Arkansas. All of these programs are successful football programs.
His goal is singular, his challenge is clear. If he can turn around this football program, he could be the Bill Snyder of Athletic Directors. At this point, consecutive winning seasons would be considered an astronomical turnaround.
This move more than likely supersedes the eventual firing of David Beaty. Beaty is going into his fourth season as the head coach, and he’s 3-33. Beaty had the privilege of coaching at a school that couldn’t get it together before he arrived so the pressure wasn’t very pressing, or as pressing as it probably should have been.
The hiring of Long now makes firing Beaty an easy and expected decision. This also becomes a win-win situation for the Kansas Football fans hiding within the confines of their own home. If Beaty has a good year this upcoming season, he has a good chance at fighting for his job. Fans, in turn, get a taste of winning football.
If Beaty fails again this year, it is nothing new, and fans can then look forward to the next chapter of Jayhawks football.
From spotting talent to fundraising, building programs and getting fans motivated, Long is a valuable asset. Chancellor Girod made the right decision.
The stands will slowly be covered with butts in the seats. The Jayhawks will slowly start to give teams fits. Before too long, the Jayhawks will be fun to watch on the football field.
Jeff Long will turn the football program around, and since he doesn’t need to worry about the success of the basketball team, football will be front and center.