A year ago when Mark Mangino resigned there were three coaches that held things together for Kansas while a new coach was identified and hired. Those three were David Beaty, Clint Bowen and Bill Miller.
How the rest of the story goes isn't really the point. At the end of the day all three were replaced and the entire Kansas staff started anew. Darryl Wyatt was named Beaty's replacement and Co-offensive coordinator with recruiting ties that led to a lot of excitement among the fanbase. With his departure just over a week ago Kansas and Turner Gill were back in hiring mode looking for a good coach and probably just as important, someone who could maintain those same recruiting ties for the Jayhawks.
This afternoon, according to a report cited by KUSports in the Houston Chronicle, David Beaty has accepted a position with the Kansas staff and will return to Lawrence just one year after his departure. Over his career Beaty has been a high school coach in the state of Texas and wraps up his second stint at Rice. During his previous tenure with the Jayhawks he was charged with recruiting that very state and his connections proved helpful.
Obviously most of the recruits Beaty was responsible for are still early in their careers with Kansas but with names like Toben Opurum, Chris Omigie, Christian Matthews, Keeston Terry and James Sims among others, it's hard not to be at least a little bit excited about his return.
By all accounts this would be a good a hire for the Jayhawks and I can tell you that more than a few players will be pleased with the news. Now it appears we just wait for an official announcement from Kansas and a quick update from the Journal World article reiterates that with the following:
KU officials have not confirmed the reports of Beaty's potential return, and sources told the Journal-World that a deal had not been finalized.
H/T to Dester for the fanshot of the Houston Chronicle Article earlier this evening. Now like everyone else I think an official announcement will be a welcome confirmation after the Bubba Cunningham deal. Of course that situation seemed to work out well.