Tuesday, June 17, 2008
The Kansas football team has received high rankings from the first batch of preseason polls but college football expert Phil Steele is not as optimistic.
Steele’s College Football Preview magazine, which stassen.com found to contain the most accurate preseason rankings during the past nine years, has the Jayhawks ranked significantly lower than its competitors. While all the other rankings have Kansas second in the Big 12 North division and in the top 20 nationally, Steele picked it third in the Big 12 North and 30th overall.
“Kansas fans are going to want to shred my magazine and have a bonfire or something like that,” Steele said.
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Preseason hype
Kansas’ rankings from experts and publications heading into the 2008 season
| Source | National Ranking | Big 12 North Ranking |
| Athlon Sports | 13 | 2 |
| Lindy’s | 15 | 2 |
| Mark Schlabach, ESPN.com | 17 | 2 |
| Surefire Scouting | 18 | 2 |
| Phil Steele | 30 | 3 |
Steele said everything fell in place last season for the Jayhawks because of a soft schedule and a lack of injuries, which enabled them to a school-record 12 victories and an Orange Bowl trophy. He doesn’t think it will be that easy this season.
Kansas coach Mark Mangino said he didn’t pay attention to the preseason hype surrounding the football team. Although he realizes expectations are higher for the Jayhawks, it’s not going to change the way he prepares.
“Preseason polls don’t mean a whole lot,” Mangino said in a statement. “The end of the season polls are the ones that tell the story.”
He could reference last season to support his point. The Jayhawks weren’t ranked in the top 25 in any preseason rankings or magazines but finished the year at No. 7 in the Associated Press poll.
With 15 returning starters, including junior quarterback Todd Reesing, a successful Kansas season wouldn’t surprise anyone this year — except maybe Phil Steele.
“I think this year’s Kansas team probably has more talent than last year’s 12-1 team,” Steele said. “But I don’t think they’re going to achieve that record.”
Steele said if Kansas was that successful this season, it would most likely start with a Heisman-caliber season from Reesing. Steele added that if the Jayhawks lost only one game again, he would probably be voting for Reesing for college football’s most prestigious individual award.
Steele thinks Reesing faces a more daunting task in 2008 with Oklahoma, Texas, Texas Tech and South Florida all added to Kansas’ schedule. Reesing seems to realize what he’s up against.
“It’s not just going to happen, we know that from last year,” Reesing said after spring practice. “We’re not just going to show up and beat everybody. The Orange Bowl doesn’t mean anything this year.”
It wasn’t all negative news for Jayhawk fans in Steele’s magazine, though. He did name senior wide receiver and kick-returner Marcus Herford a First Team All-American.
Herford averaged more than 28 yards per kick return last season and scored two touchdowns. Steele said he expected Herford to have an even bigger season in 2008.
College football magazine Athlon Sports had Kansas selected the highest of all the rankings so far at No. 13 in the nation. What may be more disheartening to Jayhawk fans is the team that all the polls have ahead of Kansas in the Big 12 North — Missouri.
“I really don’t think anyone is going to challenge Missouri in the North,” Steele said.
For more of Phil Steele's thoughts on the upcoming college football season check the Case Closed blog.
— Edited by Rustin Dodd
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Comments
A step backward for Kansas football?
Missouri being ahead of Kansas is not "disheartening;" it is exactly what I expect. I expect a lot better than 6-6 but not 12-1 this year. Go Jayhawks!