Adrian Mayes negotiated a deal with friends and family members who wanted to score tickets to Saturday’s Kansas-Kansas State football game in his hometown of Manhattan.

“There was a screening process. None of them will be wearing purple,” said Mayes, KU’s 6-foot-3, 305-pound fourth-year junior offensive lineman from the Little Apple.

Most of Mayes’ buddies and relatives – he was able to secure 20 tickets – were eager to comply with his request to wear Crimson and/or Blue, not KSU purple, to the 11 a.m. contest at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.

One of his loved ones, however, was the toughest sell.

“My uncle graduated from K-State and is still a big K-State fan,” Mayes said. “He told me he’s always going to root for me. Once we play K-State, he’ll probably wear neutral colors. I don’t think he will wear purple, but he is a die-hard K-State fan.”

No chance Mayes’ mom, Teresa, sister or half-brother, will wear even purple socks to the game Saturday. Another brother, Alex, can’t attend. A tight end at Baker University, he has a prior commitment – a 2 p.m. game versus William Jewell.

“There’s not a single Wildcat thing in our house,” Mayes said.

The former Manhattan High football/wrestling standout – he earned first-team all-state football honors in 2004 – naturally is fired-up about playing his first college game in the house Bill Snyder built.

“It is definitely exciting to go back home and play,” said Mayes, who indicated he “knows a few guys” on KSU’s team. “It’s a big stadium. It’s loud. There’s a lot of purple.”

As a youth, he attended many games at the 52,200-seat facility.

“Growing up in Manhattan it was kind of hard not to follow them,” Mayes said. “I was a football fan,” he added, asked if he was a KSU fan in high school.

He wasn’t all that tempted to become a Wildcat.

“It was an option. I don’t think it was a hard choice,” he said of choosing between KU and KSU. “It was unexpected, last-minute to come up here (to KU for a visit). Coach (Clint) Bowen recruited me here. I just felt this was a better place for me and I would fit in better here. I enjoyed being here and made my decision.”

Mayes, a former walk-on who earned a scholarship earlier this year, emerged as a starter this preseason after coming off the bench in just one game – at Baylor – all last season. Until this year, he’d mainly been a member of KU’s scout team.

“I think I’m coming along well,” Mayes said. “I still have things to work on. I know that. I’m doing the best I can to improve every week.”

He’s impressed the Jayhawk coaches.

“He has good power and strength to him,” head coach Mark Mangino said. “When he sets in pass protection and punches, he can lock down on you. He can stun you.

“In the run game, I’d call him a relentless guy. He’s a scrapper. He’ll get after you. He’ll keep his feet going. He’s one of those kind of guys, just scrappy.”

Noted offensive line coach John Reagan: “Guys like Adrian Mayes are really good for college football. It’s a great story. He’s worked for and he’s earned what he has.”

What the Business major with an outstanding grade point average wants desperately is a victory Saturday which would give KU a 5-0 record, 1-0 mark in Big 12 play.

“It is a huge game for KU. It’s our first Big 12 game, playing against a top 25 team at their place. They came off a big win (against Texas). It’s big for both teams,” Mayes said.

Quarterback Todd Reesing realizes it’s huge for the huge lineman.

“I know he’s really excited. He will have a lot of family and friends there at this game,” Reesing said. “I know he is excited to go back home and play in front of so many people he knows.

“Adrian is a great kid. He’s been a hard worker ever since I’ve been here and ever since he’s been here. I know he will come out with a good attitude. He works hard every day and tries to get better. Having a guy like him on the offensive line is really nice.”