Team continues celebrating Orange Bowl victory

Monday, March 10, 2008

Two months, four days and 20 hours after the final horn sounded and the Jayhawks were declared 2008 Orange Bowl Champions, both the team and their fans still weren’t finished celebrating.

About 5,000 fans filled the east stands in Allen Fieldhouse Saturday night for the Jayhawks’ 2007 Football Awards Banquet. This was a chance for the coaches to hand out their awards and for the fans and players to relive a record-setting season.

Photo by Jon Goering

Sophomore quarterback Todd Reesing looks back at his teammates during team introductions at the start of the football celebration Saturday night at Allen Fieldhouse.

“Tonight, we celebrate the greatest season in the history of Kansas football,” co-host David Lawrence said.

The players, all dressed in suits, were announced one-by-one with some players receiving standing ovations. Sophomore quarterback Todd Reesing’s ovation was so long that it drowned out the name of the player following his.

With the players in their seats on James Naismith Court, the lights turned out and everyone turned their attention to the video board for a 20-minute highlight video.

“Oohs” and “aahs” were heard from the crowd at some of the biggest throws, catches and tackles from the season.

Assitant coaches handed out fifteen awards throughout the night, including the Ray Evans Award for defensive MVP to both defensive tackle James McClinton and cornerback Aqib Talib. McClinton, quarterback Kerry Meier and linebacker Joe Mortensen each led the night with two awards each.

Three prominent fixtures in the team and University took their turns at the podium. Chancellor Robert Hemenway, Athletics Director Lew Perkins and coach Mark Mangino addressed the crowd.

Hemenway drew plenty of laughs when he told his Orange Bowl story.

He was in charge of escorting Governor Kathleen Sebelius. After the game, Hemenway said, he lost her in the crowd of players and fans on the field. He then spotted her in the middle of the players tossing an orange into the air with them.

Mangino, the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year, said he was appreciative of the support from everyone in attendance.

“I’d like to thank all the fans that came out tonight to celebrate a great season,” Mangino said.

Mangino also reminded the crowd, and his players, that next season gets underway Wednesday with the beginning of spring practice, and that there’s no reason to expect anything less from his team.

“The Orange Bowl for our football program is not a destination, it’s merely a stepping stone,” Mangino said.

— Edited by Matt Hirschfeld

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