Missouri Tigers Enemy Intel: Examining the Kansas Jayhawks

This Saturday's Border Showdown between Missouri and Kansas hardly features the same implications for the teams involved as their 2007 matchup.

Two years ago, quarterback Chase Daniel shredded Kansas on 40-of-49 passing for 361 yards and three touchdowns en route to a 36-28 win that gave the Tigers a No. 1 ranking and left them one victory away from a national championship appearance. Meanwhile, the loss ended Kansas' dreams of a perfect season and a Big 12 Championship but landed the Jayhawks their first Orange Bowl berth in 39 years.

Like I said, Saturday's game doesn't carry nearly as much cache, but the matchup between the 7-4 Tigers and 5-6 Jayhawks certainly possesses some interesting subplots.

A win for head coach Gary Pinkel and the Tigers would result in a fourth consecutive season with at least eight wins, marking the first time in the 110-year history of the MU program that that has happened.

A victory over KU would also go a long way in enhancing Missouri's bowl aspirations, as a combination of a Tiger win and a Texas Tech loss would likely put Missouri in San Diego for the Holiday Bowl and a matchup with a marquee Pac-10 opponent.

On the flip side, a Kansas win over its bitter arch-rival would make the Jayhawks bowl eligible for a school record third straight season, as well as signal an optimistic end to a season otherwise filled with inner turmoil and media distraction.

But one thing a KU win probably won't do is save the hide of Jayhawks head coach Mark Mangino, who continues to be victimized by allegations that he has mistreated players.

With that being said, it is with much pre-holiday joy that I give you my recent discussion with Jesse Newell, online editor at KUSports.com, the main Kansas athletics page at the Lawrence Journal-World & News.

The topics discussed, in addition to Mangino's future at KU, include quarterback Todd Reesing's NFL chances, the current mindset of Kansas players, and what, if any, silver lining exists in Lawrence amid the program's current state of flux.

RF: I hate to beat a dead horse, but what are your immediate thoughts on Mark Mangino's future with the KU program? Is it merely an inevitability that he'll be replaced after the season?

JN: From everything we've heard around here, it is a near-certainty that Mark Mangino will not be the coach of the Kansas Jayhawks next season. Mangino admitted in the Big 12 coaches teleconference Monday, that he has had nearly no contact with KU athletic director Lew Perkins in the last week, and that doesn't bode well for the coach's chances of lasting past this season.

The investigation is still ongoing, but from the looks of things, the university wants to make sure that everything is in order before pulling the trigger, especially because KU can save millions of dollars if it fires Mangino with cause.

My guess is that KU will let Mangino go shortly after the Missouri game. Even if that does happen, you can bet there will be appeals and lawsuits, so this situation might remain in the news for a while.

RF: What, if any, silver lining is Mangino and his players taking from this six-game losing skid?

JN: It's hard to find a silver lining right now for KU's players. The marketing campaign for this team was "History awaits," and with a talented group of seniors returning this year, KU's coaches and players weren't shying away in the preseason from their expectations of winning a Big 12 North title.

Obviously, the Colorado loss started a tailspin, and there have been few positives after that. I would say if there's any silver lining, it's that, even after this disaster of a Big 12 season, KU's seniors still have a chance of making themselves bowl eligible with a win over Missouri.

Last season, when KU's season started to dip, a win over MU and a subsequent bowl victory over Minnesota did a lot to take away any negative feelings fans had toward the coaches and players.

RF: In your mind, what are the chances Todd Reesing gets selected in next year's NFL draft? Do you see him falling into a similar category as Chase Daniel, perhaps landing a deal as an undrafted free agent looking to become a potential backup or third-string QB?

JN: I think the chances of Todd Reesing getting drafted are slim to none. He is a bit like Chase Daniel in that he's a smaller quarterback without many of the attributes that scouts look for at the next level.

Another big problem for Reesing is that, after a great start, he's struggled quite a bit in Big 12 play. During one stretch, he had 10 turnovers in 10 quarters, and truth be told, KU lost winnable games against Colorado and Kansas State mostly because of the QB's turnovers.

Not only that, his accuracy has fallen off in the last six weeks (though he did throw better last week against Texas). We're also not 100 percent sure how injured he's been (he mentioned his groin being hurt earlier this season, but Mangino doesn't give an injury report like MU coach Gary Pinkel).

I'd expect Reesing might get a look in an NFL camp, but at this point, I'd say there are too many questions about him to justify even a late-round draft pick.

RF: These two programs, at least presently, appear to be heading in opposite directions. What sort of mindset do you expect the Jayhawks to be in on Saturday, especially considering they'll be fighting for bowl eligibility against a bitter rival?

JN: I'd expect that you see KU's star seniors (Reesing, Jake Sharp, Kerry Meier, Darrell Stuckey) fighting hard to extend their careers. Whether they like/respect Mangino, I think, more importantly, these guys will be playing for themselves. The four have been a part of the greatest stretch in KU football history, and to end their careers without a bowl game would be a major disappointment to the guys that have given the program so much.

Honestly, I would say that KU has more to play for with bowl eligibility on the line, but if you remember, the last two KU-MU games have been won by the teams with the least to play for.

RF: How do see this one playing out? Do you expect to see another one go down to the wire, much like we've seen the previous two seasons?

JN: I'd expect a close game, simply because it is a rivalry game and because KU's seniors have so much to play for. Still, after six straight losses, it's hard for me to see KU picking up a win over an MU team that has seemed to find itself in recent weeks.

The Jayhawks' defense, after a midseason surge, has struggled in the last two weeks, and MU's spread offense always seems to give KU fits. Let's go with 38-28 Missouri, as a fourth quarter TD puts the game away for the Tigers.

A 2006 graduate of the University of Kansas, Jesse Newell has been the online editor at KUSports.com since 2008. Prior to his arrival at the Lawrence Journal-World & News, Newell served as a sports reporter at The Emporia Gazette.