I have been following this entire process much like Denverjhawk. I have wanted a competitive football team to compliment our basketball program for some time. I did not like the Mangino hire when it went down, wanted him gone before the Orange Bowl, had to keep my mouth shut for two years, and now am loving the search for the next football coach. My thought has always been we need the “Bill Self” of football running the program.

So, I come up with this theory that Perkins is after a guy not on the radar. And he has to hit a home run. Which leads me to believe early in the week that it is going to be Tommy Tuberville. He is charismatic, will bring a high profile and resume to the job, can recruit the South (not just Texas), will certainly help in fundraising/season ticket sales/enthusiasm, etc. And looking at his final salary at Auburn, we are already in the ballpark with Mangino’s last contract.

And then you sell KU to him. You would coach in arguably the second best BCS football conference in the country (nod to the SEC). And it would be in the weaker division. You would coach against CO, ISU, MU, KSU, and NU every year. You would have a great chance every year to compete for the north title and play in the Big 12 championship. You could come in here, and if you were to average 9 wins over 6 years, you would quickly become the all time winning coach in KU history. Stay 10 years and they build a statue of you outside Memorial Stadium.

So, I read the Kansas City Star last night after my third or fourth presentation to Jayhawk brethren as to why I thought KU would be announcing Tommy Tuberville as the next coach. I was dismayed and disheartened to think KU hasn’t even called the guy. I am sitting here in disbelief and shouting “Are you kidding me?” Look at this guy’s resume. And then I did remember his knee-jerk reaction to installing the spread offense. So, I go to bed last night not knowing what to think.

However, a thought struck me this morning as I am reflecting upon all of this. Guess what hits me? Perkins has conducted his search, in the shrouds of cloak and dagger, and no one knows what is going on. We all know this. But this has created a news cycle every day. First Turner Gill, next Houston Nutt, then Brewster. And what happens on Thursday night? He gets the freaking former head coach of AUBURN going public and stating the KU job is very attractive and he wants to be considered for it! This is all in one week. Brilliant!

I am still sitting in the position that Perkins has to hit a home run. But rather than reacting emotionally and thinking this through analytically, there is no way he won’t do so. The search and discussion going on makes the KU job sound as if it is a top 20 job, maybe even top 10. And we finished 5-7, losing the last 7 in a row.

If I am waffling a bit, it might be back to Harbaugh. However, if he does go the Tuberville direction, he is in control getting Tuberville to come to him versus us pursuing him. Looks great and might cost less money that way. And yet if he does go the route of Gill, he establishes even more credibility for a “lesser” candidate as we chose this guy over all these other guys.

As always, I am tuned into “As the Mangino Turns”.