Unusual cold snap greets Kansas in Texas

Fort Worth, Texas ? Kansas University coach Mark Mangino watched over the Jayhawks’ football practice Monday wearing shorts. That observation can be interpreted two different ways:

1. He has an uncanny tolerance for blustery weather, or

2. He didn’t catch word of a forecast for Fort Worth when packing.

“It’s not that cold,” Mangino quipped afterward, “as long as you keep the upper body warm.”

Any native Texan surely would disagree with the fourth-year coach. Temperatures hovered in the upper 30s Monday, significantly lower than the average high in Texas this time of year.

Nevertheless, KU was on the field practicing immediately upon completion of a flawless flight into Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. A two-hour workout in preparation for Friday’s Fort Worth Bowl was deemed a success by Mangino. The workout mostly featured 11-on-11 work with no tackling.

“It was so smooth. We got here about 50 minutes earlier than we anticipated,” Mangino said of the trek. “It was a good trip, and the Fort Worth Police Department got us over here to the practice site quickly and efficiently.”

Burleson High — home of the Elks and alma mater of pop singer Kelly Clarkson — featured a new state-of-the-art stadium with an artificial surface, a two-story press box and seating for 8,000 fans.

“They have a top-notch facility here,” Mangino said of the Jayhawks’ practice venue. “It’s beautiful. We appreciate the fact that they’re allowing us to use it.”

Too bad it didn’t have a roof over it. The chilly weather was unexpected and a bit unwelcome Monday, and it’s looking to be just as cold today when KU practices at Burleson starting at 11:50 a.m. Better news awaits, though: The forecast is calling for temperatures to climb significantly midweek and could be in the 60s by Friday, when Kansas will face Houston.

Mangino admitted he’d like to see perfect weather — or at least better weather than Monday’s. But there’s always one guy who feels toasty when everyone else can’t feel their toes, and Minnesota transfer Charlton Keith assumed that role Monday.

“This feels like 80 degrees here,” Keith said. “I’m from Ohio, and I played at Minnesota. I’ve played in cold weather.”

Wait a minute. Doesn’t Minnesota, Keith’s first stop before eventually transferring to KU, play its games at the climate-controlled Metrodome?

“Yeah,” Keith said, “but not practice.”

¢ Swanson fine: Who would’ve thought that getting knocked out of the regular-season finale with a knee injury would be a good thing for quarterback Jason Swanson?

“The guy helped me out,” Swanson said. “He broke up some scar tissue that was in my knee. It worked out great for everybody, I guess.”

Swanson was referring to a fourth-quarter hit by an Iowa State defender that left the senior hobbling off the field with a bad limp. He didn’t return, and Brian Luke came in and led KU to a 24-21 victory.

Swanson, though, was fine in no time and is expected to start against Houston.

“It was sore that day,” Swanson said. “Then the next day I went and got my knee checked out, and it was perfect.”

¢ Replay a go: The Fort Worth Bowl — and the 27 other bowls — will use replay during their games, adopting the setup used by the Big Ten conference.

That model is similar to the Big 12’s setup, as only officials in an upstairs booth will have the right to authorize a review.

¢ KU’s foe: The Cougars practiced Monday at their campus in Houston, then boarded a bus and headed to Fort Worth on Monday afternoon. They’re slated to practice today and Wednesday at Saginaw High in Fort Worth.