'I know it's gonna sound corny, but I almost wanted to cry'

When he first saw it, KU offensive lineman Kobe Baynes was overcome by emotion, thinking both about the moment at hand and back on all of his Kansas teammates from the past who did not get to enjoy it.

“I know it’s gonna sound corny, but I almost wanted to cry,” Baynes told R1S1 Sports on Tuesday, when asked about this week’s first look at the inside of the newly renovated Anderson Family Football Complex. “I wish all the guys that put blood, sweat and tears in this program could’ve seen that and been there for that moment.”

In a way they did. Baynes made sure.

“I immediately sent my brother (and former KU offensive lineman) Mike Ford a text, saying, ‘Man, you should see this new facility.’

“He said he saw it on Instagram and Twitter; and he was just ecstatic,” Baynes said. “The Anderson family’s done a wonderful job of creating it and building it, and we’re more than thankful for it.”

After months of construction and an almost-complete renovation of the building, the Jayhawks got their first look at some of the best parts of the new facility on Monday, nearly five months to the day before the 2025 season opener.

It was not the first time many of them had been through a big reveal in that very building. Prior to the 2023 season, the Jayhawks reaped the benefits of a renovated locker room and weight room as the early stages of the makeover — KU coach Lance Leipold said that was a must so the veterans who helped make this all possible then could enjoy some of the upgrades — and, last season, with construction of Phase I on the stadium renovation in full tilt, the Jayhawks were able to get back into their locker room for the 2024 season, with a few new bells and whistles added, after using a makeshift locker room on the east side of the stadium for months.

Even having already gone through those experiences, Baynes was still blown away by what he saw this week.

“I couldn’t even have imagined this,” he said. “I just wish I had more time, really, to see them fully build it up. But I’m happy I can even be here to see all this.”

Redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Calvin Clements, who grew up in Lawrence, had similar emotions about the unveiling of their new home.

“I was able to come in kind of before all the renovations started,” Clements told R1S1 Sports. “So, I’ve seen how it’s all evolved. And it’s super-encouraging to see how much the donors, staff and others are all behind us. I couldn’t ask for anything better. The facilities are amazing.”

Here’s a quick look at everything the Jayhawks saw during the recent reveal.

• A 2,400-square-foot space with a state-of-the-art videoboard that allows the Jayhawks to create in-game scenarios as they prepare for each opponent. This space will double as a place to host events and recruiting functions.

• A new team room at the north end of the complex, where the head coach’s office used to be, overlooking David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium at the southwest corner, through floor-to-ceiling windows. This room features 180 brand new, custom-made Jayhawk-emblazoned seats.

• Fueling stations, a player lounge, athlete recovery space, staff locker rooms, staff meeting rooms, a student services center and more. There’s also more to come, with a team dining area, a new team entrance to the stadium, a creative student and an enhanced equipment room all still in the works to be completed by August.

When completed, the additions to Anderson Family Football Complex will feature more than 33,000 square feet of new construction and 40,000 square feet of renovated space.

While standing in that team room, looking out to what was and will one day again soon be the field the Jayhawks play on, Baynes said he flashed back to the day in 2022, when KU beat Oklahoma State to become bowl eligible.

“It was just like, ‘Wow. Wow,’” he said. “This is a long way from that. I was just like, ‘That’s things you live for.’”

Baynes said his favorite part, however, was the new sauna, which is massive and features a television screen built into it. You can’t watch film on the screen, but you can watch television, YouTube clips and whatever else helps occupy your mind as you allow your body to recover from a hard day’s work.

In the first few days of its existence, Baynes said he has already been in there four or five times already and that he and teammate DJ Withers were recently watching Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James debates on YouTube.

Clements said his favorite part is the offensive line meeting room at the south end of the complex. Each position has its own newly constructed meeting room in this area of the complex, and Clements said this is where some of the best bonds on the team are born.

“Every day after practice, we just bring our lunch in there, watch practice and just kick it with the guys,” he said. “The chairs are super-comfortable so you could sit in there all day.”

As for which of their teammates had the best reaction to the recent unveiling, there was some overlap in their answers.

“JD’s always gonna have some flare,” Baynes said of KU quarterback Jalon Daniels. “So, seeing JD’s face was amazing. Seeing the older guys like Kenean Caldwell and Tommy Dunn and DJ Withers, you just thought about all the work we’ve put in for the past two or three years.”

Added Clements: “Definitely the characters on the team, like JD, Tommy Dunn and Logan Brantley, with those guys you can always see their emotions. They’re very visible.”

“Shout-out to the Anderson family,” Baynes added. “We’re so thankful for what they’ve provided for us. Coach Leipold has really been a program changer and the Anderson family’s done a great job supporting us.”

— For tickets to all KU athletic events, visit kuathletics.com