Kansas University’s 2002 football ticket brochure has been released, and the catalog has plenty of crimson and blue.

Maybe more crimson than fans might expect.

While KU fans are enthusiastic about Mark Mangino, some boosters are puzzled  and even upset  that the brochure features a photo of the Jayhawks’ first-year coach in Oklahoma garb.

“That’s wrong,” said Willie Wilkerson, manager and co-owner of Jayhawk Spirit, 935 Mass. “I would have used a picture from KU. That’s where he’s at, and that’s who we are.”

But Mangino was at Oklahoma the previous three seasons and helped the Sooners win a national championship in 2000.

Lee Johnson, KU’s director of marketing, could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Doug Vance, KU’s associate athletic director for media relations, said the main reason for picturing Mangino in Oklahoma togs was the limited availability of photos of the new head coach.

“The brochure was designed before coach Mangino had been on the practice field in Kansas gear,” Vance said, “and we didn’t have a wide variety of shots to choose from.”

In fact, the same photo appeared on Page 2 of the spring prospectus KU distributed to the media.

Vance said the only photos taken of Mangino by the athletic department since the coach was hired in December were from news conferences, and “we wanted a picture that said football.”

Vance said publishing a photo of a coach at his previous school wasn’t without precedent. Bob Stoops, Mangino’s former boss, was shown in Florida togs in an Oklahoma preseason ticket brochure a few years ago.

“So we looked at it as a positive,” said Vance, noting that Mangino concurred with the decision.

In other words, the photo shows that Mangino came from a winning program.

Vance said, however, that this will be the last time Kansas will produce a publication with Mangino dressed in anything that identifies him with Oklahoma.

“He will be pictured in KU gear in the media guide and in the game programs this fall,” Vance said.

Still, most KU fans questioned downtown Tuesday night reacted negatively to the photo.

“I think it’s ridiculous they put that in there,” said Aubrey Martin, a KU senior from Wichita. “Something else could have been done.”

Brian Hoffman, owner of the Sports Dome, 942 Mass., said people should be realistic about the printing deadlines that KU faced in distributing the brochure.

“Even if I was a KU grad and donated $100,000 a year I wouldn’t be offended by that,” he said.

Hoffman said he had noticed an increased interest in KU merchandise at his store, which carries sports cards and memorabilia.

“People are really optimistic about this year,” he said. “I’ve had people asking for autographed footballs, schedules and the mini-helmets with the new logos. I think people are really excited.”

A random Journal-World poll taken Tuesday night downtown supports Hoffman’s comments.

 Twenty-five people who identified themselves as KU fans were asked if they were optimistic about the football program because of the coaching change. Twenty-two people said yes, two said no and one was undecided.

“He’s doing the right things,” said Curt Fryehofer, a senior from Plymouth, N.H., who was a backup punter on last year’s team, but decided not to re-join the Jayhawks this season. “I was around when he first got here, and I saw what he’s doing. He’s shaking the right cages.”

 Those surveyed also were asked if they had attended any games last season. Fourteen of 25 had not. However, 17 said they were likely to go to games this season because of the coaching change, while three were undecided and five people said they were not likely to go to more games or that the new coach would not influence their attendance.

 Fans also were asked if a winning season and a bowl berth were realistic goals for 2002. Fourteen said no, seven said yes and four were undecided. The 18 people who said no or were undecided were asked if they thought Mangino could turn the program around within a few seasons. Sixteen of the 18 said yes.

As for the aforementioned photo, KU junior Maryna Silchenko found another reason not to like it.

“This picture doesn’t really show what he looks like because he’s all covered up,” she said, referring to Mangino’s hat, sunglasses and headset. “I know he’s a big guy, but I wouldn’t recognize him if I saw him on the street.”

When the season starts Aug. 31 at Iowa State, fans will be seeing plenty of Mangino  in KU clothing.