Mangino's Greatest Hits: KU / KSU 2006

MANGINO-PRINCE I
You see the highlights above and remember that it was a 6-6 squad with some good memories. At times though, the 2006 season was a pretty severe test for Kansas football fans (@Toledo, @NU, A&M, OSU, @Baylor). We started over at quarterback after finally getting Jason Swanson up to speed in 2005 and we had to replace Mangino's first set of great linebackers along with ends Charlton Keith and Jermail Ashley. Charles Gordon also left for the NFL. It was a young squad and when you set the scene for the late-November home matchup with KSU, you have to remember that Ron Prince was bringing a bowl-bound 7-4 Wildcat squad to Lawrence fresh off a home win over #4 Texas. It was Captain Ron's first year and it would be KU's first look at Josh Freeman. KU's record stood at 5-5, so let's just say Wildcat confidence was pretty high.

It didn't go as planned for Josh Freeman though, as he ended up with three fumbles and three interceptions. On the Crimson and Blue side though, Jon Cornish rushed for a career-high 201 yards, two TDs and a ref knockdown as the Jayhawks came away with a 39-20 win. The Hawks scored 19 points in the fourth quarter with the help of a couple of Freeman turnovers. Anthony Webb intercepted a screen pass and took it 42 yards for a TD. Then Jeff Wheeler got a hold of Freeman and he coughed up the ball to Wayne Wilder. The big DT carried the ball 34 yards before little Leon Patton somehow willed Wilder out of bounds. No problem, Cornish scored on a 12-yard TD run the very next play.

The Hawks would get smoked by Mizzou 42-17 the following game at Columbia, but the KSU win was a growing up game for the young Jayhawks and a big tone setter for the 2007 season.

PHOTO THAT SAYS IT ALL:
http://www2.kusports.com/photos/galleries/2006/nov/18/ku_vs_kstate/23655/

VIDEO LINKS:
6sports summary: http://www2.kusports.com/videos/2006/nov/19/11329/ 

QUOTES:

"I was rooting for them. I wanted them to beat Texas so that would make us look even better - after they beat Texas and come and get served by us."
--Aqib Talib

"I've never liked K-State."
--Jon Cornish

"There was just something about the game plan that (assistant coach) Bill Young and the defensive staff put together. Everything clicked. When you looked at them on tape and you looked at what we were doing, I thought we really had a chance to play well."
--Mark Mangino

"It helps the big picture of our program. That KU is now a team that you've got to reckon with in the North, in the conference, in the state of Kansas. That's the important thing."
--Mark Mangino

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Comments

[hiphopopotamus]

Obviously a great game and like you said, a building block for 2007.

2006 was a VERY disappointing year because of all the ones that got away, but I have to think those tough losses prepared us for 2007.

[DJ]

Yeah, I definitely understated it ... post-OSU/Adarius Bowman is as low as I've been as a KU football fan. 1988 was just before my time.

[fabio]

The most fun I think I've ever had at Memorial Stadium. Very special day. One of the few times I've been able to watch a competitive Sunflower Showdown

[DJ]

One thing I forgot is that game occurred during the HawkDigest era. I had to go check out my original post on the old site, complete with typos.

http://wm383234.bravejournal.com/entry/22591

[fabio]

Haha! Who in the hell is Kevin Kietzman?