I saw a team learn a new uptempo offense and line up correctly every single time. The coaches had timeouts and didn't use one of them. I saw very few errors. Only two penalties in the game with a running clock. I am going to back and watch the game but I never saw a false start, Not one.
I saw a team get to the line and do everything they were taught to do. On the other side I saw a defense match their speed and get lined the same as well. I know they didn't do a lot of blitzing, stunting, slants, etc. But they still had to get up after the play and get lined up.
I saw a lot of players going full speed and with good effort. I saw energy. I saw coaches slapping guys on the helmet. I saw Hyman jump up and chest bump a punter after a good kick. This is what I have seen all spring.
I've seen organization. I've seen urgency.
Now is the roster down? You are damn right it is. It is very thin. But see, I've seen this book before. I remember going to KU football games when I was a high school student when Mason was starting to turn it around. I remember hearing the stories about how Mason took less than 45 scholarship players on his first road trips.
I remember what Mark Mangino started with. I remember his first games in 2002. I remember the roster he inherited which may be better than now in terms of scholarship players. I remember watching Mangino's teams being outclassed but lining up right, giving full effort, and competing. When they were down 30 points in the fourth quarter they played hard. The day when KSU rolled into Lawrence and put up a 64-0 win and Snyder actually called off the dogs in the 4th quarter.
All spring I have seen players start to build confidence in their coaches. I have seen coaches chew ass but yet teach and build the players back up. I had a couple players tell me they are looking forward to the off season and taking on the challenges that Je'Ney Jackson has in store. It won't be easy.
This is how programs are built. It is things we don't see. We see a roster that is similar to a FCS program in terms of numbers. We see a depth chart that you have to look at some of the names because you haven't heard their names before. Rosters and players can be built up over time. But a culture change can't. Right now the players are learning what Beaty and the staff are asking of them. I see progress. That doesn't mean progress that KU matches up talent-wise with all the other Big 12 schools. Because up and down the roster they don't. But you have to start somewhere. And if you can't line up man-for-man with the other schools then you find a way you can. That means doing the little things....cut out penalties, play assignment sound, be hard nose, don't back down.
It means believing your hard work will take you somewhere. I think these coaches and players believe that. The incoming players will believe it too when they arrive. It is a culture change that everyone believes they will get to a certain goal although they aren't there now. Everyone has to be on the same page. I believe they are.
You just have to give it time because it isn't going to change in one season.
I saw a team get to the line and do everything they were taught to do. On the other side I saw a defense match their speed and get lined the same as well. I know they didn't do a lot of blitzing, stunting, slants, etc. But they still had to get up after the play and get lined up.
I saw a lot of players going full speed and with good effort. I saw energy. I saw coaches slapping guys on the helmet. I saw Hyman jump up and chest bump a punter after a good kick. This is what I have seen all spring.
I've seen organization. I've seen urgency.
Now is the roster down? You are damn right it is. It is very thin. But see, I've seen this book before. I remember going to KU football games when I was a high school student when Mason was starting to turn it around. I remember hearing the stories about how Mason took less than 45 scholarship players on his first road trips.
I remember what Mark Mangino started with. I remember his first games in 2002. I remember the roster he inherited which may be better than now in terms of scholarship players. I remember watching Mangino's teams being outclassed but lining up right, giving full effort, and competing. When they were down 30 points in the fourth quarter they played hard. The day when KSU rolled into Lawrence and put up a 64-0 win and Snyder actually called off the dogs in the 4th quarter.
All spring I have seen players start to build confidence in their coaches. I have seen coaches chew ass but yet teach and build the players back up. I had a couple players tell me they are looking forward to the off season and taking on the challenges that Je'Ney Jackson has in store. It won't be easy.
This is how programs are built. It is things we don't see. We see a roster that is similar to a FCS program in terms of numbers. We see a depth chart that you have to look at some of the names because you haven't heard their names before. Rosters and players can be built up over time. But a culture change can't. Right now the players are learning what Beaty and the staff are asking of them. I see progress. That doesn't mean progress that KU matches up talent-wise with all the other Big 12 schools. Because up and down the roster they don't. But you have to start somewhere. And if you can't line up man-for-man with the other schools then you find a way you can. That means doing the little things....cut out penalties, play assignment sound, be hard nose, don't back down.
It means believing your hard work will take you somewhere. I think these coaches and players believe that. The incoming players will believe it too when they arrive. It is a culture change that everyone believes they will get to a certain goal although they aren't there now. Everyone has to be on the same page. I believe they are.
You just have to give it time because it isn't going to change in one season.
