Stock Watch: Who's Up, Who's Down
How’s this selection from the Department of Obvious: young people sure have a way of making you feel old.
I’ve always said that hanging around young folks keeps you young-ish, and I’m fortunate to be able to mingle with the kids in my job. But man, sometimes the things they say provide a Gatorade bucket of ice cold reality upside the head.
Like when a student says they know of Thurman Thomas and Barry Sanders, but have never seen them play. Not even highlights.
Or the Miracle on Ice. “Oh yeah, the Disney movie.” Uh, no.
Just a couple days ago, a student considered the woeful state of Kansas football and while laughing, asked, “Has Kansas ever been good?” Actually, yes, the Jayhawks won an Orange Bowl as recently as 2008 (2007 season). And sure, this take isn’t so egregious, considering the current crop of OSU freshmen were in kindergarten at the time. And hey, KU hasn’t been good very often. I mean, it’s a basketball school.
The Jayhawks don’t look to be getting good any time soon, either, certainly not anywhere close to that today with the Cowboys busing into Lawrence looking to move to 3-0.
I love Les Miles, but can’t understand his hiring for a massive rebuild. Lawrence may be the most picturesque city in Kansas (granted there’s little competition, really) and David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium still looks like more like a high school facility in many respects, and often sits mostly empty on game days – even without a pandemic – which can’t be appealing to the kind of recruits necessary to make a move in the Big 12.
That’s what the Cowboys are walking into today. Not a snake pit. A snooze pit.
They’ll have to provide their own juice, as players like to say.
Before kickoff, here’s a Stock Watch for the day:
STOCK UP
OSU’s Defense. It ain’t easy playing D in the Big 12, just ask Texas and OU, who thought they’d turned the corner with sexy hires. Not so much. So far – so far – the Cowboys are looking good, although stiffer tests lie ahead. Having talented veterans helps. And depth. But the Cowboys are also playing with little fear, attacking regularly. That’s something to like.
Cowboy Kicking Game. Can I use the “so far” term again? Hey, no complaints with Alex Hale and Tom Hutton, the Aussie imports, through two games. They’ve been solid. Still looking for better returns, but baby steps, right?
LD Brown. Inconsistency plagued Brown a year ago, but he’s running with purpose this season, finally fully showing off his skills, with some flair, too. There are some folks out there who think he should be Option A at running back.
STOCK DOWN
Kansas Athletics. We’ve long known KU is a basketball school, but there’s trouble brewing with the NCAA, with sources reporting the organization wants to hammer the Jayhawks, and really make it hurt. But for a brief bit there, the Jayhawks had something happening in football, going to four bowl games in six years. Then they booted Mangino, who finished 50-48, with the second-most victories in Kansas coaching history. And the struggle has been real ever since, with four coaches following Mangino’s departure late in 2009.
Braydon Johnson. The breakout the speedy Cowboys wideout seemingly experienced in 2019 hasn’t carried over. Sure, the quarterback situation hasn’t been ideal, with Spencer Sanders injured and true freshman Shane Illingworth still riding with training wheels. Still, three catches for 14 yards is not what anyone had expected. Currently, the pecking order appears to be Tylan Wallace, Dillon Stoner, Tay Martin, then everybody else.
