When Kansas University’s football team started its winter conditioning program, none of the Jayhawks could bench press 400 pounds.

As full-squad, two-a-day practices begin today, that zero has turned into a seven. Fifty Jayhawks are bench pressing 300 pounds or more, up from 30 at the end of last season.

Kansas center Greg Micks (73) and his mother, Franci Nicks, look at pictures on a digital camera as Jayhawks Justin Sands, Danny Lewis (78) and Harrison Hill (1) check out picture proofs. The players were taking a break from Media Day Friday at Memorial Stadium.

“We have high expectations, and that’s the only way to go,” coach Mark Mangino said at his team’s media day Friday at Memorial Stadium. “We believe in our players. Their effort this summer was phenomenal. We’ve made gains in every area strength, speed and cardiovascular conditioning.”

Under the direction of first-year head strength and conditioning coach Mark Smith, the Jayhawks took part in a six-week winter program that included running sessions four days a week and weight lifting three days a week.

During spring drills, the team practiced on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; lifted weights on Tuesdays and Thursdays; and scrimmaged on Saturdays. During the summer, the Jayhawks resumed their winter exercise schedule for eight weeks.

“Guys probably thought I was a little overboard, but I’ve got a job to do,” Smith, a former Florida assistant strength coach, said. “They were probably saying, ‘We can never satisfy this guy.’ I think as time goes on, they understand me more and more.”

2002 Media Day
Coach Mangino speaks to the press in anticipation of the 2002-03 campaign. The audio clip is just under seven minutes long, and is offered in three different formats below.
MP3 file(1,624k)	StreamingQuickTimeregular quality(982k)	StreamingQuickTimehigh quality(2,843k)

Several Jayhawks credited Smith with their offseason improvements.

“Coach Smith has definitely brought a hard-core attitude to the team,” senior receiver Harrison Hill said. “I think we made a lot of improvements this summer. We got mentally tougher.”

KU had plenty of motivation in the weight room. The Jayhawks are hoping to improve on last year’s 3-8 record and end a streak of six straight losing seasons.

“As a team we put a big emphasis on working out in the weight room,” junior quarterback Zach Dyer said. “We put in plenty of time running in the morning and lifting in the afternoon, but we also had great attendance at 7-on-7 sessions that were led just by us. I think that helped us tremendously to work better together as a unit. I think we all feel more comfortable with each other

As the Jayhawks’ bodies changed, so did their attitudes.

“When you’re faster and stronger, you feel more confident,” said senior lineman Justin Sands, one of the seven Jayhawks benching 400 pounds or more.

For the record, the other members of KU’s 400-pound club are linebacker Leo Etienne, center Greg Nicks, defensive end Cory Kipp, tight end Adrian Jones and defensive tackles Brock Teddleton and Travis Watkins.

“You have to give all the credit to the guys,” said Smith, who played linebacker at North Carolina State from 1983 to 1987. “They bought into what we’re preaching.”

When the season starts, Smith’s staff will work only two days a week with the varsity players, but the strength coaches will spend three or four days a week with the red-shirts.

“They’re seeing what they can do through hard work, so I’m sure they’re going to put more into it,” Smith said. “We’re just getting started.”

The Mangino family from left, Samantha, Mark, Mary Jane and Tommy pose for a picture at Friday's Media Day at Memorial Stadium.