It seems hard to fathom the thought of Kansas defensive coordinator Clint Bowen strolling the sideline for Kansas State.
But Bowen, who was ousted along with most of the previous members of Mark Mangino's staff with the arrival of Turner Gill, apparently has talked with Bill Snyder about the vacant defensive coordinator position at KSU.
The Lawrence Journal-World reported that Bowen interviewed with Snyder last week -- only a couple of days after Gill arrived as the Jayhawks' new coach.
The Wildcats have a vacancy at their defensive coordinator position after Vic Koenning accepted a similar position on Illinois coach Ron Zook's staff last week. The Journal-World reported that Bowen discussed a co-coordinator position for KSU's defense along with a position coaching the Wildcats' defensive backs.
Bowen became the Jayhawks' coordinator in 2008, helping lead them to an 8-5 finish and a victory over Minnesota in the Insight Bowl despite retooling the secondary midway through the season.
The Kansas defense struggled this season, ranking 74th in total defense, 85th in scoring defense and tied for 95th nationally in pass defense. The Jayhawks allowed at least 31 points in all but one conference game as they collapsed with a seven-game losing streak after starting the season 5-0.
Except for a one season as a player at Butler Community College and a one-season stint as a graduate assistant at Minnesota, most of Bowen's college and coaching career has been spent at Kansas. He was a hard-hitting safety for the Jayhawks during his playing career and has earned the reputation as one of the better recruiters in the state of Kansas.
While at Kansas he had served as a coach of tight ends, running backs, safeties and was special-teams coordinator and co-defensive coordinator after becoming a full-time coach in 2001.
It would be hard to imagine seeing Bowen wear purple-and-white attire along the sideline after so much of his playing and coaching career with the Jayhawks.
But coaching makes f0r some interesting bedfellows.