Nearly half a century ago, a theologian named Norman Vincent Peale wrote a book entitled “The Power of Positive Thinking” and it quickly became a best-seller.

I wouldn’t be surprised if you could still buy Rev. Peale’s book, but I’d be even more surprised if Mark Mangino hasn’t read it.

Seldom has first-year Kansas University football coach Mangino uttered a discouraging word about the Jayhawks. Mangino’s skies haven’t been cloudy all day any day.

Friday night following the spring game was no exception.

Mangino praised the offense and he praised the defense and I’m sure he would have praised the special teams, but nobody asked him about the kicking or kick coverage units.

Typical comment: “I can’t say enough about our willingness to work.” Typical comment II: “I’m very, very pleased. It’s been very productive.”

Mangino’s spring mantra has been to make the Jayhawks feel good about themselves. This, after all, is a program that hasn’t had a winning season since 1995 and, to be honest, had forgotten what it takes to win.

So Kansas football is a work in progress and the ongoing task is being accomplished in ways the average fan probably wouldn’t even notice.

For instance, during Friday night’s game, not a single player stood on the sidelines who wasn’t in uniform. Linebacker Leo Etienne knew he wasn’t going to play because of a shoulder injury, but Etienne, who has been elected a co-captain, was not in street clothes.

“Coach Mangino wants everybody suited up whether they’re hurt or not,” Etienne said. “It’s part of the team thing. I don’t mind at all. I’ve been suiting up all spring. I did all the mental reps. I did everything except contact.”

The team approach is one thing. Personal pride is another. Mangino clearly wants his players to feel good about themselves, too. Job One in that regard might be quarterback Zach Dyer, who looked like he had grown a new, more powerful arm Friday night. Dyer was zinging passes with authority not all, but most of them. At times during the 2001 season, Dyer looked like he was throwing watermelons.

“I wouldn’t say I didn’t have confidence last season,” Dyer said following Friday’s game, “but I have more confidence now.”

Another player oozing confidence is nose tackle Brock Teddleton who oozed mostly whale oil last fall. Teddleton is a huge man, but 6-foot-6, 340 pounds is much too big for a college football player. On Friday night, Teddleton weighed 300 pounds. In five months, he has lost 40 pounds, mainly through self-discipline.

“I stopped drinking sodas,” he said. “I just drink water and Gatorade now, mostly water. And instead of going to McDonald’s, I eat Ramen noodles and pasta.”

A college student avoiding McDonald’s is like a horse walking past hay.

“Usually I’d get 20-piece chicken nuggets with super-size fries and a large Dr. Pepper,” Teddleton said with a smile. “But I haven’t been to McDonald’s in five months.”

And, he says, he doesn’t plan to visit a Mickey D’s any time soon.

“Not really,” Teddleton said. “I just want to be in shape and feel healthy. This is the lightest I’ve been in five years, and I want to get down to 290 by the time the season starts.”

It’s no secret that once the 2002 season starts the Jayhawks won’t be the most talented team in the Big 12 Conference. They won’t even rank in the top half in talent, yet an attitude adjustment and a new look the New York Giants-style uniforms are classy could propel Kansas into unexpected territory.

Spring football games go on forever and no team has ever lost one yet. Still, this Kansas football team will lose games this fall. But it will win some, too.

How many victories will depend in large part on the cohesiveness and pride Mangino and his staff have instilled this spring.