Notebook: Jeff Long formally introduced as AD

In today’s UnTaited notebook, Tait writes about the platitudes that Bill Self had for Jeff Long, and reports that Self and Long spoke over the phone before Long took the AD job to discuss the FBI investigation into college basketball.

Although he won’t start until August 1, Jeff Long was introduced as KU’s new athletic director yesterday. Benton Smith reports that Long is already in the early stages of evaluating the KU football program.

Keegan reports on Long’s comment about trying to “break the cycle” when it comes to KU football, and notes that Long was being paid $1M per year by Arkansas through 2022 to NOT be their AD. However, now that he has taken another job, he will no longer be able to collect that.

Jesse Newell reports on the first meeting/interview between Jennings, Girod, and Long.

Noted non-KU beat writer Sam Mellinger writes that Jeff Long sounds like a guy who’s getting ready to hire a football coach.

Some clarification on the clause that extends Long’s contract if any of football, men’s or women’s basketball, or volleyball receive any penalties or sanctions: it’s only for violation committed prior to 8/1/18, and Girod claims that language was included at KU’s insistence.

I liked these comments by Long, reported by Jon Kirby at Jayhawkslant: “It’s really important for us to get students engaged because students actually help bring other fans to the stadium because of their enthusiasm. I think our staff and I, we’ll go to work on that early on, trying to engage with students or continuing to engage with students, and try and find the things out that are important to them to get them into our venues.”

That’s more than him just saying “the fans need to buy more tickets” and I think that’s an important distinction. You paying attention, Matt Baty?

Joe Dineen and Daniel Wise were both selected as first team preseason All-Big 12 by the media yesterday. Let’s see how Clint Bowen effs this up.

In non-sports University news...

The University took down an altered US flag that generated some buzz that was allegedly apparently some kind of art program.

The KU campus is now tobacco and vape free.

In other news...

Devonte Graham has suffered a “condylar lesion in his right knee” and will miss the rest of the summer league.

I thought this was an interesting piece on how option plays evolved in the NCAA Football and Madden series, and how not having an NCAA Football game is affecting Madden today.

It’s France vs Croatia in Russia on Sunday for all the marbles (or whatever soccer plays for). France is the overwhelming betting favorite.