Mangino wooed Crabtree

If the idea of a Kansas University receiving corps of Michael Crabtree, Dezmon Briscoe, Kerry Meier and Johnathan Wilson sounds out-of-this-world ridiculous today, two years ago, it was a legitimate possibility.

In the spring of 2006, Crabtree’s senior year at Dallas’ Carter High, Kansas coach Mark Mangino saw the current Texas Tech standout play live and immediately made a push to sign the four-star prospect.

“I watched him play one time in practice during spring, and as soon as I saw him, I said, ‘We have to offer him,'” said Mangino. “He did everything. He played quarterback, he played in the secondary, he played running back. He was quick, he was smooth, and he had good football aptitude.”

Kansas did make an offer. Unfortunately for the Jayhawks, so did a great deal of other schools, including Oklahoma, Illinois, Iowa and Kansas State.

Crabtree eventually decided on Tech, a move that, by all stretches of the imagination, has worked out grandly. As a red-shirt freshman last season, he led the nation in receptions (134), receiving yards (1,962) and touchdowns (22) for the 9-4 Red Raiders.

Mangino endorses Phillies

While he can appreciate the Cinderella nature of the Tampa Bay Rays’ run to the World Series (it’s a tad familiar, no?), Mangino on Wednesday announced his allegiance to the Philadelphia Phillies in this year’s Fall Classic.

“I have to tell you, because of Ryan Howard, we’re all pulling for the Phils here,” Mangino said. “Plus, I’m a Pennsylvania guy, now. Not that I was a Phillies fan by any stretch, but hey, it’s the home state.”

Howard is the younger brother of Chris Howard, an associate athletic director at KU who works closely with the football program.