KU Jayhawks prepare for Arkansas with Bill Self status unknown

17 March 2023

DES MOINES, Iowa (WDAF) — The University of Kansas (KU) Jayhawks are focused on the Razorbacks as they prepare to meet Arkansas in the NCAA Tournament Saturday afternoon, with the status of Kansas head coach Bill Self unknown.

While Self is in Des Moines with the Jayhawks and is attending practices, concern about his health hangs over the team.

“Coach is doing well. It’s a day-to-day situation with him, but he’s doing good. He was at practice with our guys just a little while ago and coached them. We’ll see what happens,” assistant head coach Norm Roberts said Friday.


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Redshirt senior Kevin McCullar echoed Roberts’ message, but also there isn’t much of a change with Roberts in charge.

“Coach Self, he’s been around us as well. He’s doing great, and having coach Rob pushing us, you know, it’s no drop-off. Coach Rob knows what he’s doing. He’s another image of coach Self and what he’s saying, and he gets us the game plan, and we go out there and execute,” McCullar said.

Self attended practice Friday and provided guidance during halftime of Thursday’s KU game against Howard, according to coach Roberts, but the head coach was not on the bench with the team.

Roberts says Self remains actively involved in the team’s preparation.


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“We have scout report. Meet probably two times a night and go over different scenarios and what we want to do, and how he wants us to play both offensively and defensively. We haven’t had any extra meetings and those things,” Roberts said.

Self continues to recover from a heart procedure he had last week.

“I’m doing better,” Self said in a pregame interview on the team’s radio network Thursday. “I’m feeling stronger and everything. I don’t think I’m at the point where I could be very good for our team if I was out there.”

Self added that he has been watching as much video as he usually does to prepare for games and believes Roberts and the staff are doing well.

The Jayhawks will face Arkansas Saturday at 4:15 p.m. in Des Moines.

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