You Don’t Have to Care Anymore

David Beaty can’t coach.

If we have learned anything since 2015, it’s the fact that Beaty has no idea what he’s doing and no feel for the game while on the sideline.

Kansas - er, the now-fired Zenger - brought back a coach with a 3-33 record for a fourth season.

We deserve this.

A Kansas team full of juniors and seniors just lost at home, in overtime, to a team from a “lower level” of football.

This isn’t meant as a criticism of the players. I love those guys. I have no doubt that they’re out there giving everything they have for their teammates, their school, their program. The players deserve your support.

Their coaches do not.

Beaty has three years of coaching under his belt, and things look no better than they did against South Dakota State three years ago.

In the 2018 opener against FCS Nicholls State, there were timeouts before punts. There were false starts after timeouts. There was confusion on the field after substitutions. Playcalls were slow to come from the bench. There were half a dozen bad snaps, key dropped passes, and holes in the offensive line big enough to drive a truck through. All of this after FOUR WEEKS of preparation for the season opener.

If you’re still out there defending Beaty, you’re an idiot.

He’s not worthy of your loyalty.

No amount of cheering or positivity or showing up to games is going to turn Beaty into a competent coach. How is it that people have talked themselves into thinking that keeping a terrible coach will help the program?

Yes, he’s a great guy. Yes, the best thing for Kansas is for him to succeed. But it’s clear at this point that success is not his destiny in Lawrence.

No matter what the director of the Williams Fund says, you are NOT part of the problem if you check out for a while. Anyone who tells you that you need to spend your hard-earned money and free time supporting this program in its current state is full of crap.

Fan support can help sustain winning, but it can’t create winning. The players need a competent coaching staff.

Here’s the thing: It’s not difficult to tell if you have a competent coaching staff. There are signals that competent coaches and programs put off when they’re making progress toward winning games. Competitiveness in more than one or two conference games a year is one of those signals. Beating lower-tier conference teams is another. Recruits of every caliber being coached up and improving over their career is another signal that shows a program is making progress. (h/t Warden)

Can the current coaching staff point to any of those signs?

Change is coming, of that I have no doubt. And as “proof” I’ll offer you the following anecdote.

The Sunday night after the loss to Nicholls, on KWCH Channel 12 in Wichita, the extended sports section of the news (called Sports Sunday) broke down the KU and K-State games following the 10 PM newscast. While talking about KU, one of the hosts noted that she was at the game on the KU sideline and kept an eye on athletic director Jeff Long. She commented that, as the game progressed, Long became increasingly uneasy, unhappy, and uncomfortable with what was happening on the field. He was pacing around, and in the reporter’s words, “You could see it in his face.”

I don’t know when Long will fire Beaty. After this Nicholls debacle - and it was a debacle - he has to. And he will.

But until then, it’s OK to check out. I don’t blame you. You don’t have to care anymore. Enjoy your fall. Live your best life. If you enjoy the sport, catch more competitive games from around the country.

And don’t worry - I’ll welcome you back on the bandwagon next year.