Ben Heeney returns to support Jayhawks

Former Kansas linebacker Ben Heeney, who now plays for the Oakland Raiders, watches from the sideline during the third quarter on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015 at Memorial Stadium.

With the Oakland Raiders having their bye this weekend, former Kansas linebacker and NFL rookie Ben Heeney was back in Lawrence for the first time this season to take in Saturday’s game, a 30-20 Jayhawks loss to Texas Tech.

Heeney, one of KU’s all-time leading tacklers, sat in the south end zone and addressed the team both before the game and at practice on Friday.

As the Jayhawks jogged out to the field for the second half, Heeney stood on the outside of the ropes and offered high-fives and words of encouragement.

“He’s a model for me to be like, and I think he should be a model for all the linebackers,” said sophomore linebacker Joe Dineen, who led KU with a career-high 10 tackles.

Dineen added that knowing Heeney was in attendance brought a little extra energy to KU’s defense.

“You want to perform well and prove to him that you can play, too,” Dineen said.

— See what people were saying about the game during KUsports.com’s live blog.


More news and notes from Kansas vs. Texas Tech