University of Kansas football head coach Mark Mangino has resigned from the Jayhawk gridiron program, according to KUSports.com.
KUSports.com said because an agreement was reached between Mangino and the university, a settlement was worked out, though it won’t be the $6.6 million that remained on Mangino’s recently renewed contract.
Mangino was under scrutiny for allegedly poking senior linebacker Artist Wright in the chest and being verbally abusive to his players.
After losing to the Missouri Tigers, things didn’t look good for the coach who is known as “the bear.”
Plenty of people supported Mangino, but it wasn’t enough as former, disgruntled players spoke out often about their distain for the big guy, even though his style wasn’t that intense compared to other college coaches and it benefited some players who have shown support for Mangino.
To me it is clear KU Athletic Director Lew Perkins, who went to the players with concerns instead of waiting for concerns to be brought to him, wanted Mangino out, especially since an investigation was the first step toward firing the coach according to the wording of his contract.
The real reason Perkins wanted Mangino out will most likely never be known, but I’m guessing it is probably a combination of a couple things. First, the two were probably constantly battling over power. Mangino is used to getting his way, and so is Perkins. It is the nature of each of their jobs. They are in charge. Secondly, Perkins probably didn’t feel like Mangino was his coach, so he wanted to change the guard in the KU football program.
(To see a complete timeline of Mangino’s career at KU, look at this timeline KUSports.com put together.)
Either way, or maybe some reason that hasn’t even entered my mind, Mangino is gone and the football program at KU is screwed.
Mangino often said he wanted to coach the Jayhawks. He wasn’t using the job as a stepping stone as other people would.
He has done so much for the program. He turned it around and brought the Hawks out of the basement.
Now, without him leading the team, the Jayhawks better make comfortable nests in the cellar because that’s where they are headed. The Jayhawks will be hard-pressed to be as good as they have been any time soon without Mangino at the helm.
It is a shame this happened, and I wish Perkins wasn’t so egotistical he had to remove someone he saw as a threat to his power. He isn’t going to get anyone as good as Mangino, especially if he thinks being intense is a negative attribute for a coach.
The only saving grace is that Mangino won’t go without a job. He is too good. Someone will scoop him up, and he’ll probably get paid more.
