There’s been a lot of news in recent days about university coaches, some being terminated and some getting new jobs in and out of the Big 12 Conference. Kansas State has new football and basketball coaches. Missouri has a new basketball coach. Oklahoma State may or may not have a new basketball coach depending on the status of long-time basketball coach Eddie Sutton. Iowa State has a new basketball coach, Colorado has a new football coach, and Oklahoma will have a new basketball coach.

Major university coaches make a lot of money, but, at the same time, job security is not one of the strong selling points of a career in coaching. It is hoped the well-paid coaches are able to save a considerable amount of their paychecks because they never know when fans, chancellors, major contributors, athletic directors or others might become sufficiently dissatisfied to decide it is time to change coaches. Of course, some coaches leave for more attractive and financially rewarding positions.

Kansas University football coach Mark Mangino has three years remaining on his contract. He came to KU in 2002 after successful assistant coaching careers at Kansas State and Oklahoma.

During his four years as the Jayhawks’ coach, his team has compiled a 19-29 win-loss record. Last year, his team went 7-5 and defeated Houston in the Fort Worth Bowl by a score of 42-13.

It is known there was a question in the mind of KU Athletic Director Lew Perkins prior to the end of last year’s football schedule whether Mangino was “head coach material.” He wanted to wait until the end of the season and for answers about some NCAA matter related to KU before deciding what to do about Mangino’s contract and a possible extension.

That was in November. KU finished the regular season with a 24-21 overtime win over Iowa State.

How long does it take the AD to decide whether to extend Mangino’s contract? How soon will this delay start to affect the coach’s ability to recruit top-flight high school players? Or be able to hold on to his assistant coaches?

Recruiting competition is intense. Sometimes, coaches play by the rules; other times they are sufficiently desperate to justify, to themselves, that it is OK to bend the rules. In this kind of environment, coaches will take every opportunity to plant suspicion in the minds of recruits about whether the coach of a given school actually will be coaching at that school when the player arrives at the college.

This is the challenge facing Mangino and KU football. It is understandable that those who support Mangino wonder why Perkins has not initiated any discussion about extending the coach’s contract. The Big 12 has a number of top coaches such as Oklahoma’s Bob Stoops, Missouri’s Gary Pinkel, Nebraska’s Bill Callahan and Texas’ Mack Brown, along with new coaches with 4- to 7-year contracts. Mangino needs a public vote of confidence from his athletic director to help him when he is out recruiting athletes other Big 12 schools also are trying to land.

It is hoped it won’t be long before Perkins shows his support of Mangino, if he believes he is the coach to lead the Jayhawks for the next five, six or more years.

Many observers might say, “Why should we be worrying today about Mangino’s contract, which doesn’t end until after the 2008 season?”

True, that’s a long time and many things could happen over the next three seasons. The Jayhawks could become a strong contender for league championships and be invited to some of the top bowl games – and Mangino, without a contract extension could decide to take another job. On the flip side, Mangino and his team could lose far more games than they win, and fans, along with the AD, might be trying to figure out how to replace or fire him. Nothing is certain.

Right now, Mangino’s contract situation leaves him twisting in the wind, not knowing whether KU wants to keep him as their coach or if they intend to replace him. What is he expected to tell players and their parents about his future at KU when there is no assurance he would be their coach?

But, again, sports and those in sports are fickle. Win or lose a game and the fans, fiscal supporters, chancellors and athletic directors can change their minds.

Just look at the KU basketball team’s record this season:

The Jayhawks tied for the league championship with a 13-3 record and won the post-season Big 12 tournament. Big 12 observers, as well as the nation’s basketball fraternity were quick to point to the KU team as one of the best and youngest in the nation. Then they lose the first game of the NCAA tournament, and immediately there are some who question Coach Bill Self’s ability, as well as the team’s performance.

One day a winner and example of excellence, and the next day, not necessarily a failure but a team or coach that is questioned and second-guessed.

It is hoped KU officials will make some kind of signal to let Mangino know where he stands. Right now, it looks as if he may have to prove himself worthy of an extended contract by his teams’ performance in the upcoming season or two before he, his players and his recruits know whether he will be coaching at KU after 2008, the end of his present contract.

Intercollegiate sports at the nation’s major universities is a cold, cruel business with the emphasis on business. Money calls the shots, and the only way to make the big bucks is to win. Character and ethics should carry more weight.

It wouldn’t be surprising, given the game of “can you top this” being played in Kansas City, with NFL, MLB and NCAA officials promising so many goodies to pull off a winning vote on the stadium renovation and moving roof proposal, to have KU officials agree to play several games in Arrowhead and the planned Sprint Center IF KU could make more dollars than they would keeping these games on the KU campus. Anything for the dollar.

Mangino’s contract situation probably will be determined by what Perkins thinks is the best action to bring in the most dollars to the KU Athletic Department bank account.