Congratulations to Kansas University football coach Mark Mangino, his staff and his team for their 24-21 victory over Virginia Tech in Thursday’s Orange Bowl.

Mangino especially brought credit to the school, not just the football program, in comments he made at the Wednesday pregame press conference, discussing the relationship of sports to society, and praising the work ethic involved in other jobs and praising those who do “noble things” that save lives and change our world. “I’m coaching football,” he said. “It’s a game.”

Since his hiring by Al Bohl, Mangino has done an excellent job in organizing the program, hiring assistants and recruiting players who fit into his coaching plan – players who may not be the “five-star” types but who work as a disciplined team, and great credit goes to them for their dedication and solid effort in taking KU’s program to heights that seemed out of reach.

Many people are involved in creating a successful program, and right or wrong, the main focus is on the coach. Now that Mangino has brought the team from the bottom level of the tough Big 12 conference to near the top, his job becomes maintaining and improving that level of excellence.

It is no secret that only a short time ago, Mangino’s job was on the line. Former KU great John Hadl and others maintained strong support for the coach, but without an improvement in the team’s win-loss record this year, it’s likely he would have been encouraged to move along.

Hadl has been instrumental in raising the money from a small group of alumni who generously have provided the wherewithal enabling the coach and his staff to build the successful team we honor today. Others may try to wedge themselves into the spotlight, but it’s Mark Mangino, the national coach of the year, his assistants, and the 2008 Orange Bowl champion players who have earned it.

Congratulations!