KU football is NOT going through a rough patch. Cheer on our hawk brothers here!

[catastrophe]

I know most of you are just being condescending but Beaty really does appear to be turning the program around.  He's got some work to do with the 2017 recruiting class but I wouldn't be surprised if he had them bowl eligible by 2019.

There's really just no way to tell at this point. They had 0 wins last year. Statistically that would have been harder to do again this year than get 2 wins. This year was going to look like progress no matter what. Next year will say a lot more.

[MakeItRain]

I know most of you are just being condescending but Beaty really does appear to be turning the program around.  He's got some work to do with the 2017 recruiting class but I wouldn't be surprised if he had them bowl eligible by 2019.

There's really just no way to tell at this point. They had 0 wins last year. Statistically that would have been harder to do again this year than get 2 wins. This year was going to look like progress no matter what. Next year will say a lot more.

Real being real, they only won one game. Rhode Island is at or below several schools that don't even give out football scholarships in many computer ratings. To put them in perspective, in some computer models they are rated several spots behind Drake. Drake stopped scheduling a local NAIA school because Drake kept losing to them; Rhode Island is worse than that program.

[PurpleOil]

I know most of you are just being condescending but Beaty really does appear to be turning the program around.  He's got some work to do with the 2017 recruiting class but I wouldn't be surprised if he had them bowl eligible by 2019.

I would be surprised. I agree with you that Beaty has them finally going in the right direction, but look at what preceded him; Weis and Gill. That's not exactly a high bar. As has already been said, Rhode Island was as close to an automatic win as any program can get. Then they were able to surprise 1 more team on their schedule, which if you watched any of their games last year, was strongly indicated to happen. Looking at their schedule next year I can see them winning anywhere between 2 and 4 games. They'll get at least 1 out of conference win (possibly 2) and then they'll beat one Big XII opponent who forgets to show up (and possibly surprise another). A 5 win season will come when they are able to win all of their out of conference games (which hasn't happened since 2009 and has only occurred 4 times in the last 20 years), but bowl eligibility, that next level, is going to be hard for that program to hit because it's going to require another Big XII program to fall down and I don't see that happening.

[Katpappy]

I know most of you are just being condescending but Beaty really does appear to be turning the program around.  He's got some work to do with the 2017 recruiting class but I wouldn't be surprised if he had them bowl eligible by 2019.

I would be surprised. I agree with you that Beaty has them finally going in the right direction, but look at what preceded him; Weis and Gill. That's not exactly a high bar. As has already been said, Rhode Island was as close to an automatic win as any program can get. Then they were able to surprise 1 more team on their schedule, which if you watched any of their games last year, was strongly indicated to happen. Looking at their schedule next year I can see them winning anywhere between 2 and 4 games. They'll get at least 1 out of conference win (possibly 2) and then they'll beat one Big XII opponent who forgets to show up (and possibly surprise another). A 5 win season will come when they are able to win all of their out of conference games (which hasn't happened since 2009 and has only occurred 4 times in the last 20 years), but bowl eligibility, that next level, is going to be hard for that program to hit because it's going to require another Big XII program to fall down and I don't see that happening.

Baylor 

[ChiComCat]

Kliff doesn't exactly have them humming in Lubbock

[MakeItRain]

Wait, you guys are actually being serious about them "going in the right direction?"

[_33]

Wait, you guys are actually being serious about them "going in the right direction?"

I don't see Beatty turning it around.  If UT hadn't given it away 6 times you're basically talking about another winless season.  Which is sad because I think I like Beatty.  He seems like a really nice, personable guy whenever I hear him on The Border Patrol.

[DQ12]

gill and weis won conference games too.  people forget that.

[Dugout DickStone]

They are absolutely serious.  They were also serious about Gil and Weis turning it around but they all deny the hell out of that now.

[DQ12]

he'll get next year and likely the year after that, but they'll eventually eat him. 

side note: apparently they're about finished paying Weis's buyout.

[pissclams]

with that setting, there is absolutely no reason to not consistently field a winning program at ku
granted the last few years have been a bit rocky, but we all know who the flagship football program is in this state

[ChiComCat]

I think this year's KU team is better than last year's KU team.  I'm not willing to call it a trend based on two data points though.  Could just as easily be that nobody can be that terrible for two consecutive years.

[wetwillie]

That play where they had the returner lay down in the end zone to camouflage himself may have blinded me to reality you guys.

[PurpleOil]

I know most of you are just being condescending but Beaty really does appear to be turning the program around.  He's got some work to do with the 2017 recruiting class but I wouldn't be surprised if he had them bowl eligible by 2019.

I would be surprised. I agree with you that Beaty has them finally going in the right direction, but look at what preceded him; Weis and Gill. That's not exactly a high bar. As has already been said, Rhode Island was as close to an automatic win as any program can get. Then they were able to surprise 1 more team on their schedule, which if you watched any of their games last year, was strongly indicated to happen. Looking at their schedule next year I can see them winning anywhere between 2 and 4 games. They'll get at least 1 out of conference win (possibly 2) and then they'll beat one Big XII opponent who forgets to show up (and possibly surprise another). A 5 win season will come when they are able to win all of their out of conference games (which hasn't happened since 2009 and has only occurred 4 times in the last 20 years), but bowl eligibility, that next level, is going to be hard for that program to hit because it's going to require another Big XII program to fall down and I don't see that happening.

Baylor 

I thought of them, but then I realized that they're probably going to trade places with Iowa State or Tech. I just can't see KU winning all three out of conference games and then beating Iowa State, Baylor, and Tech (or remove any of those programs and insert a different surprise win) all in the same year and especially by 2019.

[MakeItRain]

I think this year's KU team is better than last year's KU team.

I don't know that I agree with this. Last year's team definitely was capable of winning a game in which an opponent turned the ball over 6 times.

[PurpleOil]

They are absolutely serious.  They were also serious about Gil and Weis turning it around but they all deny the hell out of that now.

Gill, I was uncertain about until halfway through his first season. Then I could see that he was over his head. Weis... if you can't win at ND, then you can't win anywhere. Now to respond to your first statement, just because the program is improving, or, headed in the right direction doesn't mean I believe they're going to start going bowling. Again, getting to 4 or 5 wins is fairly easy for most of the Big XII except for KU and Iowa State. Getting to that level and staying there would be a dramatic improvement from where they are. Going bowling for that school though is going to take a huge leap and I don't see it happening.

[PurpleOil]

I think this year's KU team is better than last year's KU team.

I don't know that I agree with this. Last year's team definitely was capable of winning a game in which an opponent turned the ball over 6 times.

But this year's team managed to not fumble a spike in order to set up a game winning field goal. That's improvement!

[sonofdaxjones]

What a feat of ineptitude in the context of 2016-17 athletic finances for P5 schools. 

[kso_FAN]

I suppose better is relative, but their is no significant improvement in KU's program right now. (using footballoutsiders.com metrics)

2010 (Gill 1) finished 115 out of 120.
2011 (Gill 2) finished 106 out of 120.
2012 (Weis 1) finished 85 out of 124.
2013 (Weis 2) finished 101 out of 125.
2014 (Weis 3) finished 99 out of 128.
2015 (Beatty 1) finished 127 out of 128.
2016 (Beatty 2) currently 113 out of 128.

I suppose 15th worst in college football is better than 2nd to worst.

[MadCat]

666 pages 

[ChiComCat]

I think this year's KU team is better than last year's KU team.

I don't know that I agree with this. Last year's team definitely was capable of winning a game in which an opponent turned the ball over 6 times.

Maybe it was because Texas was so terrible, but for once KU wasn't the worst team on the field in a B12 game which is something.  As K-State fans, I think it is disingenuous to discredit how they won.  We've won a lot of games in which we were viewed as the worse team that just took care of the football better.  Regardless of that win, I think they were more competitive in a lot of home games this year.

All of that said, it doesn't mean Beatty is a good coach or is "turning it around."  There are two data points.

[_33]

I think this year's KU team is better than last year's KU team.

I don't know that I agree with this. Last year's team definitely was capable of winning a game in which an opponent turned the ball over 6 times.

Maybe it was because Texas was so terrible, but for once KU wasn't the worst team on the field in a B12 game which is something.

But they were the worse team.  They were outgained by almost 100 yards, they 7 fewer first downs, they had more penalties, they lost time of possession.  Every meaningful stat went Texas' way except for turnovers.  I mean, that's exactly the way worse teams beat better teams is getting a bunch of turnovers and winning by 3.

[Shooter Jones]

I think this year's KU team is better than last year's KU team.

I don't know that I agree with this. Last year's team definitely was capable of winning a game in which an opponent turned the ball over 6 times.

Maybe it was because Texas was so terrible, but for once KU wasn't the worst team on the field in a B12 game which is something.

But they were the worse team.  They were outgained by almost 100 yards, they 7 fewer first downs, they had more penalties, they lost time of possession.  Every meaningful stat went Texas' way except for turnovers.  I mean, that's exactly the way worse teams beat better teams is getting a bunch of turnovers and winning by 3.

sometimes a bunch of turnovers gets the worse team a solid 2 point win.

[Sandstone Outcropping]

666 pages 

beat me to it. very important milestone for this thread

[ChiComCat]

I think this year's KU team is better than last year's KU team.

I don't know that I agree with this. Last year's team definitely was capable of winning a game in which an opponent turned the ball over 6 times.

Maybe it was because Texas was so terrible, but for once KU wasn't the worst team on the field in a B12 game which is something.

But they were the worse team.  They were outgained by almost 100 yards, they 7 fewer first downs, they had more penalties, they lost time of possession.  Every meaningful stat went Texas' way except for turnovers.  I mean, that's exactly the way worse teams beat better teams is getting a bunch of turnovers and winning by 3.

They are definitely the worse team in general but not on that day.