Jayhawks, Beaty Enjoy Student Appreciation Day
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Needing a slight change from the monotony of the spring practice schedule, Kansas football’s head coach David Beaty constructed Thursday’s agenda to meet and interact with the Jayhawk student body.
At 11:30 a.m., Beaty made the trek up Mount Oread from the Anderson Family Football Complex to the front lawn of Watson Library, eager to test his athletic ability against any bypassing student willing to accept his challenge.
Beaty partook in different yard-style games like cornhole, pop-a-shot and the quarterback challenge. The event, officially named, “Coach Beaty’s Campus Challenge,” was a hit with both the students and the Jayhawks’ first-year head coach. Beaty was engrossed in friendly competition nearly the whole hour and a half he participated in the numerous challenges.
Aside from the students in attendance at the challenge, another coach in his inaugural season at Kansas found his way to the lawn of Watson Library to take on Beaty. Two days removed from his introductory press conference that was held on Tuesday, women’s basektball head coach Brandon Schneider also wanted to get in on the fun of the lawn games, while meeting and interacting with the student body. Women’s basketball head coach
Brandon Schneider (Left) and football
head coach David Beaty share a laugh
during the student challenge on Thursday
“Man. I think my record was something like 3-75,” joked Beaty. “It was great to get out and see the faces of the students and get a chance to hear their expectations and what they want from us. They will be a big part of our future success. We need them and I need them to know that.”
When the Campus Challenge commenced at 1:30 p.m., Beaty extended an invitation to any student who was interested in getting an up-close, first-hand, look at a practice under his command.
Around 4 p.m., the students who made their way down to Memorial Stadium began the workout by taking what would be their normal seat in the bleachers – that is until Beaty personally told each of them to join in with the team on the field.
“Come on the field if you want,” Beaty yelled at the students. “Y’all are a part of this, (jokingly telling the kids) Some of you are playing wide receiver.”
Those in attendance spent the remainder of the two-hour session not only watching from the sideline, but even participating side-by-side with the Jayhawks.
During the team’s break period, usual roles were reversed as this time the students got to show off their football skills and were divided onto the offensive and defensive teams taking turns throwing footballs into nets located in the south endzone. With each successful conversion, the Jayhawks erupted into a rowdy celebration alongside their student counterparts.
Thursday’s practice leaves Kansas with just one remaining workout before Saturday’s annual Spring , which will be held at 1 p.m., on Kivisto Field at Memorial Stadium. The game will be televised live on the Jayhawk Television Network in the state of Kansas and the Kansas City metro area and nationally on ESPN3. Additionally, the game will be broadcast live across the state of Kansas on the Jayhawk Radio Network, with an audio stream also available at KUAthletics.com.
KUAthletics.com: The official online source for Kansas Athletics, Williams Education Fund contributions, tickets, merchandise, multimedia, photos and much, much more.
