Football Opens 2014 Fall Camp Thursday; Fan Appreciation Day Set for Saturday, August 16

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas football players will report for 2014 fall camp Thursday, Aug. 7. Third-year head coach Charlie Weis will welcome the KU players to Lawrence as the Jayhawks prepare for the 2014 season.
 
KU will open practice Friday, Aug. 8. The Jayhawks will hold their first full-pad practice on Tuesday, Aug. 12. Other notable dates during fall camp include: first two-a-day practice, Wednesday, Aug. 13; Fan Appreciation Day, Saturday, Aug. 16 (1:30 p.m.); KU Kickoff at Corinth Square, Friday, Aug. 22 (6 p.m.).
 
All practices are closed to the public with the exception of Fan Appreciation Day, which will be held in Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 16. Gates on the west side of the stadium will open at 1 p.m., with the practice slated to begin at 1:30 p.m. Weis and the Jayhawk players will sign autographs for 30 minutes following the conclusion of practice. Team members will be set up by tables by position group along the outside of the football field.
 
KU football posters and other promotional items will be available at Memorial Stadium, along with rosters and schedule cards. In addition, the Hy-vee Hawk Zone, full of inflatable games for children, will be open from 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., at the KU football practice fields located adjacent to Memorial Stadium on the southeast corner. The KU Store will have a location open on the west side of the stadium. The same rules apply for Fan Appreciation Day as regular season games: no cans, bottles, coolers or video cameras are allowed into the stadium. Admission to Fan Appreciation Day and parking for the event are both free.
 
The Jayhawks return 13 letterwinners on defense, including nine starters. They are led by senior linebacker Ben Heeney, a two-time All-Big 12 pick and a preseason member of the Chuck Bednarik, Butkus, Bronko Nagurski and Rotary Lombardi Award watch lists. Also returning for the KU defense is 2013 Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, sophomore safety Isaiah Johnson and All-Big 12 honorable mention honorees senior cornerbacks Dexter McDonald and JaCorey Shepherd.
 
KU returns 13 letterwinners on offense, including tight end Jimmay Mundine, wide receiver Tony Pierson, offensive lineman Ngalu Fusimalohi and running backs Brandon Bourbon and Taylor Cox—all seniors. 
 
Kansas will open the 2014 season by hosting Southeast Missouri State on Saturday, Sept. 6 at 6 p.m., in Memorial Stadium. More information on important dates and the KU 2014 Football season can be found by visiting OneTeamOneChant.com. Tickets are available by contacting the Kansas Ticket Office via KUAthletics.com or by calling 800-34-HAWKS.
 
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