Families, KU football fans gather to kick off season

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Downtown Lawrence celebrated the upcoming KU football season with a kickoff party Saturday evening.

The event included performances from the Marching Jayhawks, Spirit Squad and Mikey Needleman Band, plus appearances from KU football coach Lance Leipold, Lawrence High School alum and senior running back Devin Neal, cornerback Cobee Bryant, Voice of the Jayhawks Brian Hanni and more.

The Jayhawks last year won a bowl game for the first time in 15 years and went 9-4 on the season.

The team’s first game of the season is against the Lindenwood Lions at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29 at Children’s Mercy Park. It will stream on ESPN+.

The third annual Rock Chalk Block Party is coming up Friday, Sept. 27. That will feature a performance from Shaboozey. Activities will start at 5:30 p.m., with a pep rally at 7:30. David Morris is set to perform at 7:55, followed by Shaboozey at 8:30, according to a tentative event schedule. The party will be free to attend in the 1000 block of Massachusetts Street.

Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times Devin Neal, a Lawrence High School alum and senior running back for KU (left), shakes hands with Brian Hanni during the Kickoff Party.
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times Senior cornerback Cobee Bryant greets the crowd.
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times Coach Lance Leipold
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times

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Nathan Kramer (he/him), a multimedia student journalist for The Lawrence Times since August 2024, is a junior at Free State High School. He is also a video editor for Free State’s student publication, where he works as a videographer, photographer and motion designer. See more of his work for the Times here.

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