Spring football in full swing; season tickets on sale

Resdhirt freshman quarterback Marcus Herford tosses a ball downfield during a spring practice.

Excitement and experience are at an all-time high as the KU football team prepares for the upcoming 2005 season under fourth-year head coach Mark Mangino. Spring football drills began March 13, and the strong core of returning players have looked sharp throughout the practice sessions.

The team’s annual spring scrimmage will be at 3 p.m. Saturday, April 16, at Memorial Stadium. Before the scrimmage, the team will host its annual Alumni Game at 1 p.m. Both events are open to all Jayhawk fans.

KU returns 52 letterwinners, including 25 on offense, 25 on defense and two specialists. In additions, the Jayhawks return seven starters on offense and eight on defense.

Football season tickets are now on sale for the 2005 season and can be purchased on-line at www.kuathletics.com. Seven games highlight the 2005 season ticket package, including the team's first-ever contest in Kansas City's Arrowhead Stadium as the Jayhawks play Oklahoma at Arrowhead on Oct. 15. In addition, Big 12 rivals Missouri (Oct. 29), Nebraska (Nov. 5), and Iowa State (Nov. 19), along with non-conference foes Florida Atlantic (Sept. 3), Appalachian State (Sept. 10), and Louisiana Tech (Sept. 17), will play the Jayhawks in Lawrence next fall. Homecoming is scheduled for October 29th against Missouri.

Senior defensive tackle Tim Allen

Public season tickets are $225. Faculty-staff season tickets are $180 and recent graduate packages are $150 (2003-05 graduation date). Family zone packages are also available for $300. The family zone, located in the North Bowl, includes two adult and two youth general admission tickets and does not include the Oklahoma game at Arrowhead Stadium.

All regular-season ticket allocation and seating will be based on lifetime points for current members of the Williams Educational Fund (to be a current member, you must have made a pledge or gift between July 1, 2004, and June 1, 2005). Final pledges to upgrade football seating are due by April 22. Final payment for all Fund Drive 2005 pledges is due June 1.

During May, members of the Williams Educational Fund will have the opportunity to visit Memorial Stadium and personally select their seats for the upcoming season. If you cannot make the time your point grouping is selected for, you may provide your request to the Athletics Department. If still available, your seats will be reserved. If no particular request is received in advance, you will be given the “best available” seats.

While some season tickets require an annual contribution to the Williams Educational Fund, Memorial Stadium does offer seating options that do not require a donation. Non-Donor Reserved seats are available in specific sections throughout Memorial Stadium for $225. In addition, Family Zone plans do not require membership to the Williams Educational Fund.

For more information regarding 2005 football seating, please visit the Williams Educational Fund website at http://kuathletics.collegesports.com/williamsfund/kan-williamsfund.html. Or purchase your tickets at http://kuathletics.collegesports.com/tickets/kan-tickets.html.