Greg Heaggans was there that night.

He should have been home, he says, preparing for the opening of Kansas University’s spring football drills the next day.

But instead, he was at a Lawrence nightclub with his buddy and teammate John Randle, living like carefree college students instead of responsible student-athletes with business to tend to the following morning.

It cost them dearly.

Before the night was over, Randle was in jail, accused of punching a man in the face outside the establishment. KU coach Mark Mangino dismissed Randle, a running back, from the team within 48 hours.

Heaggans wasn’t in that much trouble, but, then again, he wasn’t home, either. On top of that, it was hardly the first time Heaggans had done wrong – a drunken-driving arrest, an alleged attempt to steal from a convenience store and other irresponsible acts had the camel’s back ready to break.

While the rest of the Jayhawks moved forward with spring football, Heaggans was told to stay away. Mangino then alerted beat writers after the spring game in April not to expect Heaggans ever to suit up again.

It’s not what Heaggans wanted to hear.

“I started going to church, asking the Lord to give me another shot at it,” Heaggans said. “I’m a good kid. I’m just like every person – I made some bad mistakes.”

He prayed hard for another chance, and Mangino gave it to him after a meeting before summer workouts. The catch? A list of conditions a mile long. No bars. No partying. No exceptions. No excuses.

“Zero tolerance,” Heaggans said. “I have to walk a straight line. For the next six months, it’s football and class, that’s it. I’m not going to do any partying, anything.”

Kansas University's Greg Heaggans (25) runs through the hole created by blockers Kevin Kane, left, and Nick Reid on a return against Iowa State in this file photo from Oct. 30. Heaggans was kicked off the team last spring, but has been reinstated with a strict zero-tolerance policy, and Heaggans is thankful to have been given another shot at college football.

He doesn’t seem to mind. He jokes that he needs a girlfriend now, sees the lack of nightlife as a chance to get better at bowling, and, hey, he’s only 14 hours away from a college degree. A house arrest of sorts only will ensure that the schoolwork is taken care of.

Since Mangino passed out his last chance to Heaggans, KU’s coaches have lauded how the Kansas City, Kan., native has changed for the better.

“He’s shown up and done everything he’s supposed to do,” special-teams coordinator Clint Bowen said. “Greg has earned his spot.”

In terms of performance, he earned it long ago, easily becoming KU’s all-time best kick returner in the middle of his sophomore season. Heaggans’ career started off magically – a 100-yard return for a touchdown in his second collegiate game against Southwest Missouri State. The return yards piled up after that.

“He just kind of doesn’t have too much fear about stuff,” Bowen said of Heaggans’ kick-return abilities. “He doesn’t worry about getting up in there and going. A lot of guys try to think too much in that spot.”

Heaggans didn’t, but, unfortunately, he didn’t think too much in situations where he needed to, either.

The return yards halted early in 2004, after a DUI arrest was followed by a trip deep into Mangino’s doghouse. Along with the legal punishments – attending alcohol classes, doing community service with the Boys and Girls Club and paying “a couple thousand” dollar fine – Heaggans missed three games and was used sparingly the rest of the season. After averaging 678 return yards in his first two campaigns, Heaggans had just 359 in a discipline-plagued junior year.

The ill-advised trip to the bar the following spring put Heaggans on dangerously thin ice heading into his last year. One bad step, and his career will cease to exist, much like Randle’s.

“That’s how it is,” Heaggans said. “I know in my heart that’s how it is. A little step to the right, and I’m done. I can’t do anything wrong. I won’t do anything wrong because I love this game. I love Kansas football, and I want to be associated with it.”

Heaggans suggested to Mangino a tryout at running back before two-a-days. Mangino declined, putting him at wide receiver instead. At an open practice last week, Heaggans looked sharp hauling in passes when many still had early season cobwebs leading to dropped balls.

Nevertheless, his role on the team still is cloudy. He’s the most experienced, proven kick-returner, but the job’s not his yet. He never has contributed much away from special teams, so a receiver spot is an uphill battle that he’s just starting to climb.

Heaggans realizes that trust is hard to gain, yet easy to lose. He now says he’s starting the process of earning it all back.

Anything beyond that – playing time, for example – simply is a bonus.

“I’m happy to be a part of the team,” Heaggans said. “It’s my last year. Coach Mangino is a good coach, and I’m happy he gave me another chance to be here. I’m going to take advantage of it.”