2008 was the last time KU beat the Wildcats. Here is a recap of the glorious descent of the Jayhawker football program into the crapper in 2009.
April 5, 2009: Two football players and an automobile get into an altercation; one is hospitalized with a brain injury. The other player flees the scene and is later arrested by local police, but is "un-arrested" shortly thereafter.
April 11, 2009: KU announces attendance of 17,000 at the spring game, draws laughter from crowd.
Summer, 2009: After Briscoe mocks the concept of being a "student athlete"; Mangino "punishes" him by excusing him from summer workouts.
Summer, 2009: KU unleashes brilliant “History Awaits” ad campaign.
September 5, 2009: Illustrating his strong commitment to discipline, Mangino suspends Briscoe…for one game…against Northern Colorado. (Briscoe later admits, “I feel like the stuff I did, other head coaches in the nation would have booted me off the team.”)
September 22, 2009: KU football players brawl with KU basketball players.
September 23, 2009 AM: Perkins announces the jayhawk-on-jayhawk thuggery is in the capable hands of the KU AD, “We will handle any discipline regarding this incident internally, and we will have no further comment about it.”
September 23, 2009 (later that same morning): Another brawl between KU football and basketball players. A former football player, describing the underlying cause of the fighting between the two groups, states “It's like who pretty much runs the school.” Asked if any of his players will be disciplined, Mangino states “My track record speaks for itself on discipline here.”
October 11, 2009. After getting through its non-con gimmes unscathed and narrowly avoiding defeat at home against Iowa State, KU rises to 15 in the USA Today poll.
October 12, 2009. At the Big 12 news conference, Mangino launches “Reesing for Heisman” campaign.
October 13, 2009. 7. Players complain they don't get better fan support at their home games in Lawrence. "It is disappointing when you're in a conference game and you're a top 20 team and you're in a close game where you could really use some fan support, and half the student section leaves," quarterback Todd Reesing said.
October 17, 2009: KU drops a football game to lowly CU (the first of seven consecutive losses by KU).
October 31, 2009: With the game in the balance at Texas Tech, and the “Reesing for Heisman” campaign in its third week, Mangino benches Reesing.
November 9, 2009: KU’s short winning streak against KSU ends, KU’s on-going losing streak against KSU starts.
November 14, 2009: Describing the KU loss to the Nubs, the KU Athletic Department announces, “Jayhawk Comeback Attempt Falls Short As Nebraska EDGES Kansas 31-17” (Another one of those close 14-point losses, somewhat reminiscent of KU fan perspectives on 2007 Amageddon.)
November 17, 2009: Having known about Mangino’s abusive ways for years, Perkins senses the losing ways of the football team offer an opportunity to get rid of Mangino in a way that will save him millions, and announces an investigation into allegations of player mistreatment.
November 28, 2009. MU beats KU. For the second time in three years, Reesing ends conference play with a face plant in the end zone turf of Arrowhead, safeties courtesy of MU. The loss also marks the end of KU’s historic run of consecutive bowl games…at 2.
December 3, 2009: Mangino “resigns”. Perkins’ ouster of Mangino signifies his acquiescence that, yes, the Orange Bowl season was indeed a fluke.
December 13, 2009: KU announces Turner Gill will run the KU football program.
April 5, 2009: Two football players and an automobile get into an altercation; one is hospitalized with a brain injury. The other player flees the scene and is later arrested by local police, but is "un-arrested" shortly thereafter.
April 11, 2009: KU announces attendance of 17,000 at the spring game, draws laughter from crowd.
Summer, 2009: After Briscoe mocks the concept of being a "student athlete"; Mangino "punishes" him by excusing him from summer workouts.
Summer, 2009: KU unleashes brilliant “History Awaits” ad campaign.
September 5, 2009: Illustrating his strong commitment to discipline, Mangino suspends Briscoe…for one game…against Northern Colorado. (Briscoe later admits, “I feel like the stuff I did, other head coaches in the nation would have booted me off the team.”)
September 22, 2009: KU football players brawl with KU basketball players.
September 23, 2009 AM: Perkins announces the jayhawk-on-jayhawk thuggery is in the capable hands of the KU AD, “We will handle any discipline regarding this incident internally, and we will have no further comment about it.”
September 23, 2009 (later that same morning): Another brawl between KU football and basketball players. A former football player, describing the underlying cause of the fighting between the two groups, states “It's like who pretty much runs the school.” Asked if any of his players will be disciplined, Mangino states “My track record speaks for itself on discipline here.”
October 11, 2009. After getting through its non-con gimmes unscathed and narrowly avoiding defeat at home against Iowa State, KU rises to 15 in the USA Today poll.
October 12, 2009. At the Big 12 news conference, Mangino launches “Reesing for Heisman” campaign.
October 13, 2009. 7. Players complain they don't get better fan support at their home games in Lawrence. "It is disappointing when you're in a conference game and you're a top 20 team and you're in a close game where you could really use some fan support, and half the student section leaves," quarterback Todd Reesing said.
October 17, 2009: KU drops a football game to lowly CU (the first of seven consecutive losses by KU).
October 31, 2009: With the game in the balance at Texas Tech, and the “Reesing for Heisman” campaign in its third week, Mangino benches Reesing.
November 9, 2009: KU’s short winning streak against KSU ends, KU’s on-going losing streak against KSU starts.
November 14, 2009: Describing the KU loss to the Nubs, the KU Athletic Department announces, “Jayhawk Comeback Attempt Falls Short As Nebraska EDGES Kansas 31-17” (Another one of those close 14-point losses, somewhat reminiscent of KU fan perspectives on 2007 Amageddon.)
November 17, 2009: Having known about Mangino’s abusive ways for years, Perkins senses the losing ways of the football team offer an opportunity to get rid of Mangino in a way that will save him millions, and announces an investigation into allegations of player mistreatment.
November 28, 2009. MU beats KU. For the second time in three years, Reesing ends conference play with a face plant in the end zone turf of Arrowhead, safeties courtesy of MU. The loss also marks the end of KU’s historic run of consecutive bowl games…at 2.
December 3, 2009: Mangino “resigns”. Perkins’ ouster of Mangino signifies his acquiescence that, yes, the Orange Bowl season was indeed a fluke.
December 13, 2009: KU announces Turner Gill will run the KU football program.
