Bill Self makes his pitch to Kansas Jayhawks football fans: ‘Let’s pack The Booth’

Kansas men’s basketball coach Bill Self delivered what the KU Athletics X account deemed a “special message” to Jayhawks football fans on Wednesday.

Now in his 21st year at KU, Self made his direct pitch to KU supporters to purchase the remaining tickets and assure a sellout for Friday’s nonconference football clash against Big Ten opponent Illinois.

Kickoff between the 1-0 teams is 6:30 p.m. at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. The game will be shown live on ESPN2.

“Hey I hope everybody out there had as much fun as I did last Friday watching our football team take down Missouri State,” Self said in a short video posted Wednesday.

Self attended the Jayhawks’ 48-17 season-opening victory over the Bears last Friday in Lawrence.

“We’ve got a good squad everybody knows. And this Friday it’s going to be a beautiful night. It’s going to start at the right time — twilight kickoff — and most importantly we’re playing the Fighting Illini from Illinois. I used to be there (as basketball coach from 2001 to ‘03) and I used to cheer for the Illini. But not this Friday. I’m going for the ‘black and royal (blue)’ Kansas Jayhawks. Let’s pack ‘The Booth.’”

KU’s football team will be wearing special “Blackhawk” uniforms Friday night. The athletic department has asked fans to also wear black KU gear to the game, in order to achieve a “blackout.”

Before the season opener, Self said of the Jayhawks football team: “We’re going to be good. I don’t know football, but I’ve watched them practice. We are bigger. We are faster. We are stronger and we’ve got a first-team potential All-America quarterback (Jalon Daniels).

“If you have those things, and a guy that good handling the ball every snap, I think you have a chance to have a pretty good year. I wouldn’t bet we’d have a good year, I guarantee we’ll have a good year.”