KANSAS

Former Jayhawks Head Coach Mark Mangino Visits New Kansas Football Stadium

KU's former Orange Bowl winning head coach Mark Mangino recently took a visit to Lawrence to check out the Jayhawks' new home.
Dillon Davis|
Denny Medley-Imagn Images

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Kansas Jayhawks

Two Kansas football coaches were seen side by side this weekend as former KU coach Mark Mangino took a trip to Lawrence on Sunday to visit his old stomping grounds.

Mangino was invited by current KU head coach Lance Leipold to see the new David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium and take in a practice following Mangino’s induction into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame on Saturday in Topeka.

Mangino commended Leipold at the Hall of Fame ceremony, saying he is a “big backer of his” and appreciates the way he coaches. Both Mangino and Leipold are known for having teams that are disciplined and show toughness.

Mangino’s visit to Lawrence is the first (known) return trip of his since coming back to attend former KU linebacker Nick Reid’s Ring of Honor celebration on Oct. 7, 2023.

Mangino led KU to a 50-48 record overall, including four bowl game appearances and three bowl wins during his eight years in Lawrence. He helped guide the program to its finest season ever in 2007-08 when KU defeated Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl and finished the year 12-1.

It says a lot about Leipold that he welcomed Mangino back like he did. It shows the respect he has for Mangino and the former players and coaches who helped shape the program into what it has become today. Most importantly, it shows how Leipold is committed to bridging the past and present of KU football – and that he recognizes the value in doing so.

Mangino’s run in Lawrence was one of the most successful periods of Kansas football in school history which helped lay the blueprint for Leipold and the success he’s had at KU thus far. His name and contributions deserve to be commemorated proudly in the new stadium, and the former head coach should be welcomed back with open arms whenever he steps foot on campus.

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Dillon Davis
DILLON DAVIS

Being a Kansas Jayhawks fan was never a choice for me. I grew up in Topeka, Kansas, surrounded by a family full of Jayhawks. I was even born during a Kansas basketball NCAA Tournament game, so I guess you could say it was fate for me to be a Jayhawk too. When it came time for me to go to college, there was only one place I applied and only one place I wanted to go – KU. I've since turned that passion into sports writing. I've written about KU sports for more than seven years and produced hundreds of KU news articles in that time. I love storytelling, I love KU and I love interacting with my fellow Jayhawks. Rock Chalk!

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