Newell Post: Mangino Press Conference

6:09 p.m.Here are the other audio clips. The first is from KU’s Jamal Greene, who talks about the Jayhawks’ defensive linemen competing for sacks. Interesting stuff.The other is a short clip from staffer Dugan Arnett’s interview with Louisiana Tech quarterback Taylor Bennett. For the full story, see the Gameday section of Saturday’s Lawrence Journal-World.5:18 p.m.A couple of audio clips for you: KU coach Mark Mangino and defensive lineman Jake Laptad.Two more interviews to come later, including one with Louisiana Tech quarterback Taylor Bennett.4:02 p.m. I guess it’s the sign of an improving program, but aren’t Kansas fans being a little harsh after watching their team beat an opponent by 30 points?Yeah, I know. The Jayhawks weren’t great running the ball Saturday against FIU (they still had 128 yards rushing). The offensive line didn’t overwhelm FIU’s defensive line. Jocques Crawford wasn’t running circles around FIU’s defense like Bo Jackson in Tecmo Super Bowl. I get it.But still KU won by 30 on a week that Texas A&M and Virginia Tech lost to Arkansas State and East Carolina, respectively. KU is 1-0 and didn’t even have to break a sweat after halftime.Did everyone bet the 37-point spread (and lose)? Since when has a 40-10 victory been considered a disappointment in Lawrence?I can’t count how many times I’ve read or heard, “KU is going to have to play a lot better to beat OU/MU/Tech/UT.” But the Jayhawks weren’t playing those teams – they were facing FIU.Look, you can’t win Week 7 games in Week 1. KU had a ton of positives: the punt return game with Daymond Patterson, the kicking game with Alonso Rojas and the constant pressure coming from multiple defensive linemen.Weren’t those three of the biggest concerns heading into Week 1? KU performed well in all three areas, and many fans still act like the whole game was a letdown.The other issues will be addressed. Jeremiah Hatch should make a big difference on the offensive line when he’s back and healthy. The running backs will be more comfortable once they get more carries. Personally, I’d rather the holes show up in Week 1 so they can be attended to.So take a deep breath, Jayhawk fans. Your team is 1-0 – just like Ohio State, Georgia and USC.In a few weeks, no one will care that KU _only_ beat FIU by 30. The win will matter. And the Jayhawks had no problem getting that Saturday.Back to the topic at hand: Tuesday’s Mark Mangino press conference. Here are the notes I took down.¢ The players of the week were:Offense: Kerry MeierDefense: Russell BrorsenSpecial Teams: Daymond PattersonScout Team Defense: Dustin SpearsScout Team Offense: Jose Rodriguez¢ Mangino said after studying the FIU tape carefully, he liked what he saw from his team for the most part.¢ The speed of Louisiana Tech’s defense impressed Mangino on film. The Bulldogs forced five turnovers in their 22-14 victory over Mississippi State last Saturday.¢ Mangino reiterated once again that FIU was stacking its defense to stop the run, therefore he is not as concerned as many people are about the running game. The coach said that when a team takes chances to stop KU’s running game, that team will pay by giving up yards in the passing game. He also said he wasn’t going to run the ball if it wasn’t there.”We’re not going to beat our head against a wall,” he said.¢ Mangino was short with his answers about right offensive tackle Jeremiah Hatch. The coach said Hatch was practicing and “it’s possible” that he will play Saturday. We’ll see.¢ Mangino said much of Caleb Blakesley’s improvement could be credited to the defensive lineman playing more with his knees bent. As we learned from Ryan Cantrell last week, leverage equals power.¢ When asked about a specific area he was pleased with from the first game, Mangino said, “I’m not ready to jump out of my shoes about anything.” Guess it’s still a little too early for that.We’ll post some audio interviews a little later, so check back on KUsports.com for those.