Kansas football’s Lance Leipold, Jalon Daniels featured during KU Night at the K

Normally, it’s Kansas basketball and its star players receiving notoriety in Lawrence and the surrounding areas, but at this year’s “KU Night at The K” it was the football program that took center stage.

Each year, the Kansas City Royals host a variety of themed college nights for many of the local universities – offering a chance to highlight players and teams from that school while enticing college sports fans to show up to the ballpark. Kansas band members, cheerleaders, and mascots Big Jay and Baby Jay were all in attendance for the game.

KU quarterback and 2022 All-Big 12 Second Team performer Jalon Daniels had the honor of throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at the game Saturday in front of a Jayhawk-friendly crowd donning their crimson and blue.

His pitch was just slightly outside; but as far as ceremonial first pitches go, the throw was more than acceptable. And in classic Jalon Daniels fashion, he was all smiles from ear to ear.

Daniels wasn’t the only Kansas football representative to make it on the big screen though.

Head coach Lance Leipold was also briefly featured as he discussed the team’s excitement for the upcoming season and thanked fans for their continued support.

https://twitter.com/KU_Football/status/1670190121205858304?s=20

It appears Leipold and Daniels were joined by several other members of the Kansas football team as well, according to KU football’s post on Instagram.

The luck of the Jayhawks?

It’s possible that the KU flavor on Saturday may have brought the Royals some much needed good fortune.

Heading into the game, the Royals were on a 10-game losing streak.

Then, in dramatic fashion, the team storms back from being down six runs in the 7th inning to beat the Los Angeles Angels 10-9 thanks to a walk-off hit by Samad Taylor who was making his Royals and Major League debut. It was his first and only hit of the game.

Is it a coincidence that all this happens on KU night? Who’s to say.

Let’s just hope that any Jayhawk magic continues for the football team as they are now just a little more than two months away from kicking off the 2023 season.