Despite Kansas' disappointing showing in the Big 12 North championship against Missouri, the future looks bright for Jayhawk football fans. Though detractors will point out Kansas' very weak strength of schedule during the 2007 season (which is a legitimate observation), it was still a remarkable accomplishment for the Jayhawks to go from a 6 and 6 record in 2006, a year in which they outscored opponents by 42 points over the course of the season, to 11-1 and a showing in the Orange Bowl, while outscoring opponents 540 to 192 - a margin of 348 points, which is, coincidentally, the number of points that the Jayhawks scored during the entire 2006 season. Though their one loss did come at the worst possible time, it's a notable barometer of how far this Kansas team has come in the last season that they went from losing by 35 points to the Tigers in 2006 to 8 points in 2007, with the game going down to the very last play.

Mark Mangino was deservedly recognized for leading the team to its 11-1 record, winning the AP Coach of the Year award. Kansas has its fair share of talented players, but without Mangino's remarkable coaching job this season, it is extremely unlikely that Kansas would have had anywhere near the success that they did. This was not a team that dominated through sheer talent and physicality, but through brilliant fundamental execution on both sides of the ball.

Of course, Kansas has its fair share of talented players, such as dual threat CB Aqib Talib, punishing runner Brandon McAnderson - and last but not least, QB Todd Reesing. What can be said about Reesing that hasn't already been? No matter what the circumstances, it's always impressive for a sophomore quarterback to have the type of season that Reesing had, throwing for 32 touchdown passes to only 6 interceptions, completing 62.6% of his passes for over 3,200 yards and 8 yards per attempt, and taking a large hand in turning a 6-6 football team into an 11-1 team that, for however briefly, looked to be a National Championship contender.

Kansas fans should be grateful to have a quarterback as good as Reesing leading their team, and hopefully he will only continue to improve even more in the 2008 season, helping Kansas to another bowl game and perhaps another shot at the National Championship. Perhaps Reesing will even get the Heisman nod that he deserved next season.

Kansas is, never has been, and likely never will be known as a football school as long as Jayhawk basketball remains as strong as it always has been - one of the most respected and competitive college basketball programs in the nation. But at least in the short term future, things are looking very bright for Jayhawk football.