Jayhawks ignore added attention

Media’s respect for Kansas hasn’t changed players

By Asher Fusco

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

If the members of the Kansas football team aren’t keeping up with current events or staying in touch with happenings around the nation, they can’t be blamed. After all, they have had plenty to distract them from newspapers and television since the beginning of September – namely, winning eight games.

The Kansas coaching staff and players have received inch after inch of newsprint, substantial hype from television experts and quite a bit of online buzz. But the Jayhawks have distanced themselves from the swelling media attention.

“I really think we have a good group of kids that really understand what is taking place here,” Kansas coach Mark Mangino said. “In house — our work with the kids, our every day routine — nothing has changed and nothing will. We’ll just keep the same routine as we always do and the same focus.”

The players are kept away from the storm of coverage while they are at practice or in the football facility, but the coaches do not interfere with them once they leave the football building, Mangino said. Most of the Kansas players have the opportunity to flip on the TV to see ESPN analyst Lou Holtz heaping praise on sophomore quarterback Todd Reesing — but choose not to indulge in the extra attention.

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KANSAN FILE PHOTO

KANSAN

“I actually don’t have cable at home right now,” junior center Ryan Cantrell said. “So I’ve been watching a lot of movies and stuff.”

As Kansas has picked up steam during its 8-0 start, critics have also started to come out of the woodwork. ESPN College Gameday analyst Lee Corso has repeatedly referred to Kansas’ non-conference schedule as full of “cupcakes.” Fellow ESPN analyst Mark May hesitated to pick the Jayhawks over opponents such as Kansas State and Texas A&M.

The team might have used media criticism for inspiration early in the season, but the Jayhawks now feel like they have already proven themselves worthy of respect, Reesing said. With every game the team wins, especially on the road against a quality Big 12 Conference opponent, the critics’ words drift further away from the Jayhawks.

“I’ve got a presentation in my Econ class and I’ve got Nebraska to play this weekend, and those are the only things I care about,” Cantrell said. “I don’t care about what the guys on ESPN are telling us about what we are or what we’re not.”

Whether critical or congratulatory, the extra attention is certainly uncharted territory for a Kansas program enjoying its best start since 1909, when scientists were still developing television.

— Edited by Luke Morris

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