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KANSAN.COM
HOMECOMING
13B
With alumni support, Kansas football sets one Homecoming goal:
Head coach David Beaty and defensive coordinator Clint Bowen shout to their players on Sept. 9.
JAMES HOYT/KANSAN
CHRISTIAN HARDY
@ByHardy
On Monday, Kansas football coach David Beaty sat his team down and read them an email. There were words of motivation, support and encouragement all from a former player.
Just like that, homecoming week began for the Kansas football team. The week-long schedule of homecoming events, words of encouragement, and alumni visits will culminate on Saturday, when the Jayhawks (0-7) take on the Oklahoma Sooners (6-1) at Memorial Stadium.
"It was pretty touching. We're all in this together, all the Jayhawks." senior defensive end Ben Goodman, Jr. said about
the letter. "That's very important that people still have a belief and confidence in us. I'm pretty sure all the Jayhawk fans, all the alumni, are still
"it's not about I or and individual, it's about our team, our stakeholders, our alumni, about everybody that does make up this great university, and that's just a piece of it"
DAVID BEATY Head Coach
watching regardless, but it'll be special that they're in-house this week"
Alumni have been a huge
part of the program since Beaty arrived on campus. He made an effort to bring out a few alumni to each practice during the spring and even into the fall.
In April, former Kansas receivers Dezmon Briscoe and Kerry Meier both attended the spring game and visited with the team on the sideline. The alumni who came to practice, including Blue Springs football coach Kelly Donohoe, usually made a quick speech in front of the team. In his short time here, Beaty has had serious intentions to involve the alumni, and he's done it from the word "go."
"Our guys. I want them to understand that they didn't build this place, that (alumni) did, and that we're getting
to benefit from it," Beaty said in an April press conference. "There's no entitlement."
He added: "It's not about I or and individual, it's about our team, our stakeholders, our alumni, about everybody that does make up this great university, and that's just a piece of it."
With alumni in the stands though, it adds a little extra pressure to the Jayhawks to not only compete in the game, but maybe even pull off a win.
"Your job is to win the game for homecoming. That's what your job is to do." Beaty said. "We're the entertainment for them that week, and we have to give them what they need, which is to go win the game."
The alumni aspect of homecoming week is defensive coordinator Clint Bowen's favorite part, too.
Bowen said he hasn't been involved in homecoming festivities in sometime, but will be involved this year. He and linebackers coach Kevin Kane plan on meeting with alumni and homecoming guests downtown leading up to the game.
"That'll get us out of the building for a little bit, I'm looking forward to that," Bowen said. "I love when you get to see all the former players; it's usually the kind of week where guys come through on Friday, so it's good to see a lot of those guys come back."
Unfortunately for alumni with kids who want to trick-or-treat, the game might interfere a bit. It's set for a 2:30 p.m. kickoff, which means the game won't be over until around 5:30 p.m. By the time kids get into costumes and ready to go trick-or-treating, it'll almost be dark and time for the festivities to end. Beaty is hoping to avoid that.
"Hopefully we can make it to a point where we can get the football game in and everybody can still go do their trick-or-treating and get that done." Beaty said. "But I think there will still be a lot of folks here because it's important to them."
- Edited by Leah Sitz
CAROLINE FISS/KANSAN
Members of the Delta Delta Delta sorority and the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity gather together in the basement of Tri Delta to pomp in preparation for the parade.
Greek organizations get an early start on building Homecoming floats
COURTNEY BIERMAN
@kansannews
This year Tri Delta and Pi Kappa Alpha, nicknamed "Pike," teamed up for the first time for the Greek Life homecoming competition, which Tri Delta won last year. Garrison Bruce is a freshman Pike pledge. He said he had been pumping for hours. Since this is Pike's first year participating in the festivities, members feel an added pressure.
The Tri Delta sorority house kitchen was packed on Wednesday night with sorority members and members of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. The Royals game was on in the background as dozens of people rolled tissue paper around panels of chicken wire to make the decorations to go on the houses' Homecoming parade float. Known as "pomping," the process is often done for hours on end.
"We really want to make a strong impression," Bruce said.
Tri Delta homecoming chairs are Erica Gillmeister, Lexi Weber, and Meghan Kennedy. They were elected into the position last spring by their fellow house members. Despite all three being new to the role, each has jumped into the duties of the job and have spent months preparing for Homecoming celebrations.
Since the beginning of the semester, Tri Delta and Pike chairs have been holding weekly meetings to plan for events such as Glow KU, a night during which the Greek houses on campus decorated their buildings with lights, and Jayhawk jingles, a yearly talent show, in addition to designing the float.
"None of us were homecoming chairs last year, so we really have to step into their role... none of us knew what we were getting ourselves into when we first got the position," Kennedy said.
This year's float theme is "Ghosts of jayhawks Past."
Pike and Tri Delta chose to go with a "haunted Campanile" design. Houses were required to submit float designs by Oct. 19, after which building began immediately. Pike was put in charge of finding a trailer and plenty of chicken wire, while Tri Delta handled early pumping duties. It's a time commitment, but worthwhile according to Kennedy.
Kennedy also said that she feels the most rewarding part of Homecoming week is getting to know other people. Since Tri Delta won last year, Kennedy said she's eager to see if this will happen again this year with Pike.
"You really have to manage your time, but better than you would if it was just a normal week," she said.
"It's really long week, but it's worth it in the end—especially if we win like we did last year. Then we get bragging rights over every other house on campus, which is a good thing," she said.
J-school+ GENERATIONS CONNECT. CREATE. UNITE.
The William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications is honored to welcome back these outstanding alumni as guests this week for J-School Generations and KU Homecoming.
Bill Ackerly, strategic communication public affairs officer U.S. Army Combined Arms Center
U.S. Army Combined Arms Center
Robert Allen, managing editor and copy chief, WebMD
Ashley Backhus, founder and owner, PlanMyTournament.com
Katie Briscoe, vice president, MMGY
Rich Clarkson, founder and president of Clarkson Creative
J.B. Forbes, chief photographer, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Vanessa Gordon, assistant news editor, The New York Times
Fritz Heffinger, president, Out Cold Marketing
John Holt, anchor, FOX 4, Kansas City
Seth Jones, editor-in-chief, Golfdom magazine and AthleticTurf.net
Kris Kennedy, writer for The Onion
Chad Lawhorn, managing editor, Lawrence Journal-World
Kameron Mack, TV producer and host,Viacom/AMC Networks
Mark Mears, EVP/CMO, Noodles and Company
Eric Morgenstern, CEO, Morningstar Communications
Sherry Scott, chief operating officer, Gagen McDonald
Teri Sprackland, international reporter; TaxAnalysts.com
Chris Steppig, VP of business and education, Clarkson Creative
Joel Zeff, national speaker; humorist and author
Thank you for supporting the J-School and inspiring our students!
More info at bit.ly/kujgen
KU
WILLIAM ALLEN WHITE SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM & MASS COMMUNICATIONS
The University of Kansas