August 21, 2015

Jayhawks Kick Off 2015-16 at Corinth Square

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The 10th-annual KU Kickoff at Corinth Square, hosted by Kansas Athletics and First National Bank, exhibited jubilant amounts of energy and enthusiasm as two of Kansas’ newest coaches took center stage Friday evening.

Head football coach David Beaty and head women’s basketball coach Brandon Schneider won over the 4,000-person crowd by showing off the same passion and excitement they bring to the field and hardwood on a daily basis.

Athletics Director Dr. Sheahon Zenger told everyone in attendance what to expect from the two coaches, not just in their inaugural seasons, but for years to come.

“These two guys represent who we are as Jayhawks,” Zenger said. “Kansans, blue-collar, roll up your sleeves, speak from the heart, treat kids the right way and build this thing from the ground up kind of guys.”

After praising the loyalty of Kansas fans and recognizing them for assisting in the numerous successes of Jayhawk athletes, Zenger introduced Schneider to the stage to address the crowd.

Schneider began by acknowledging the motivation and work ethic that he has witnessed from everyone at KU in his four months on the job.

“I’ve observed Kansas Athletics and the University for over 20 years,” Schneider said. “I can confidently tell you that I’ve never been around a university or an athletic department that approaches every day with more pride and more passion than what we do at KU.”

Schneider then transitioned into his love for the KU faithful and praised Beaty for getting the tools in place to create a contending football team.

“If you’re here tonight you’re a die-hard Jayhawk fan,” Schneider told the fans. “You’re in with both feet. You’re not tipping your toes in the water. My challenge is that all of us who are diehards go out and get the rest of them who are on the fence behind our football program. There’s not going to be a lot of room for the bandwagon folks who are going to be jumping on in a couple of years.”

Beaty took the stage and immediately began involving the crowd with a post-practice ritual he leads the Jayhawks through. Those in attendance glady repeated after Beaty clapped twice and let out a loud, ‘WHOO,’ to show how amped he is for the season to get started.

After snatching their attention, Beaty thanked the attendees for their time and explained how important they are not only in helping the team win, but in recruiting as well.

“I can’t thank you enough for being here today,” Beaty said. “If you’re here today then you’re absolutely invested. I love this fan base. You are the magic, whether you want to believe it or not. We have an experience inside Allen Fieldhouse that is second to none. I’ve been here before, the only way I know Memorial Stadium is when it’s an experience – when it’s full and rockin’. You are the magic. When we’re recruiting kids, you guys are the ones that seal the deal.”

Beaty again pleaded to Jayhawk nation to urge everyone to join the football team in Memorial Stadium in the coming weeks.

“It’s just like church,” Beaty explained. “You have to grab a couple of neighbors and bring them with you. That’s how we’re going to get it done.”

Before the band Coversmith took over for the evening, Beaty closed out the festivities with a lasting message of how hard everyone in the Anderson Family Football Complex is working to change the program’s culture.

“We’ve been punching those guys in the face every day to see who is going to stay with us when it gets tough,” Beaty said. “Those guys have been busting their rear ends every day to get where they are. It’s a process, not an event, but we need you guys to stay with us too. We’re going to have a lot of fun and we’re going to have some great times. We want you to be a part of it.”

Kansas will open the 2015 football season by hosting South Dakota State on Saturday, Sept. 5 at 11 a.m., in Memorial Stadium. Season tickets and Flex Pack tickets and single-game tickets are available now. Tickets are no longer required for children ages two and under and can be purchased by contacting the Kansas Sales Office via KUAthletics.com or by calling 800-34-HAWKS.

KUAthletics.com: The official online source for Kansas Athletics, Williams Education Fund contributions, tickets, merchandise, multimedia, photos and much, much more.