Coaching Loyalty

Obviously I'm with everyone else in terms of disappointment on the season and I'm glad to see in general there isn't a giant hate fueled cry for Mangino's head going on here, but I do have one area of concern.

First off, I've been around some very dark ages of Kansas football so despite the problems this season I still think where we are as a program and where we are headed is a much better place than we've been.  With that in mind, I hope no one sees this as an indictment on Mangino or an indication that I'm on the get rid of the guy bandwagon.  The same group of people were probably leaders in the build the man a statue bandwagon after 2007.

Anyway on to my point.  College coaching staffs and continuity are a huge part of a successful program.  Sometimes you have to swallow your pride during bad seasons and realize that if there's more good than bad going on it might be a better move to stay the course.  Change comes with a price sometimes.  Ask the Huskers after Frank Solich, Iowa State after Dan McCartney, Kansas State following Bill Snyders retirement and I'd bet anyone out in Boulder is just wishing they could find something that works.

We clearly have that at the top.  Coach Mangino has turned us into a decent program.  We aren't a powerhouse, we aren't competing for national titles and that's fine.  We are competing in every game and aiming for bowls most year. 

Where I struggle is with the assistants.  Since Mangino has been at Kansas it seems a revolving door of assistant coaches and there has always been the assumption that the Big Guy is tough to work for, hard on his assistants and has a big part in assistants moving on.  I don't know if this is true or not but it seems reasonable. 

There is always going to be a certain amount of turnover but where are the fiercely loyal assistants on Mangino's staff that other staffs have?  Where is the continuity in these areas?  In business, in life and I would guess in football you are only as good as those you surround yourself with and how much those people believe in your leadership and follow you.  This is where I'm beginning to think the disconnect might be at the moment. 

Typically at this age a football coach is who he is, so to ask Mangino to change is tough.  I really hope though that if this is the case, the big guy reevaluates his approach at the very least due to the way this season has gone.  Coach Mangino does a lot of things well, but just like all of us he certainly has his faults.  Perhaps this is an area he can improve to provide more consistency.