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Kansas football: David Beaty is not on a hot seat

By Stan Unruh

LAWRENCE, KS - SEPTEMBER 12: Head coach David Beaty and the Kansas Jayhawks run onto the field prior to the game against the Memphis Tigers at Memorial Stadium on September 12, 2015 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
LAWRENCE, KS - SEPTEMBER 12: Head coach David Beaty and the Kansas Jayhawks run onto the field prior to the game against the Memphis Tigers at Memorial Stadium on September 12, 2015 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /
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Kansas football fans are disappointed after a 1-2 start to the 2017 season. Here is why David Beaty is not on the hot seat.

College football fans are a tough crowd and why not?  We expect to win and demand success on the field. On the other hand fans, myself included, have to be patient.  I know it’s been a long time since the Kansas football team received a bowl game invitation.  That’s probably not going to happen in 2017.

I believed the Kansas football team could win all three of their non-conference games this season.   Few television talking heads or Las Vegas experts believed that.   I wanted it to happen but for many reasons it probably wasn’t realistic and it didn’t happen

Just consider Saturday’s game against veteran coach Frank Solich and Ohio.  The Bobcat coaching staff has worked together for many years and play primarily red-shirt juniors and seniors.  They’ve been in Solich’s program for a long time and will qualify for another bowl game this season.

This is only David Beaty’s third season as a head coach.  The work to turn around the Kansas football program is huge.  Beaty accepted Athletic Director Sheahon Zenger’s challenge. I think Beaty is the right man for the job.  As a matter of fact, there is a former wide receiver coach at Clemson who is doing quite well as a head coach. Vanderbilt’s Derek Mason was on the hot seat last season after a 2-4 start in his third season. The team just upset Kansas State and continues to improve.

This Jayhawk team does have issues but I didn’t see stupid mistakes in the first three games.  Mistakes yes, but not what we saw under previous coaches. The Jayhawks are averaging fewer penalty yards a game than Bill Snyder’s guys or this week’s opponent West Virginia.

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The Kansas football program needs some consistency and patience. Building a winning college football program is worth the wait.  I’m not thrilled with the final scores of past two games but I believe Beaty is making sufficient progress and is not on any hot seat.

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