JayhawkSlant.com - Weis talks about facilities

July 13, 2012

Jon Kirby

Without a doubt Charlie Weis has the best seat in the house overlooking Memorial Stadium. His office, built on the top floor of the Anderson Family Complex, has a view of the entire stadium from his desk.

It is one of the topics we recently spoke to Weis about. Not only does he give his take but those of recruits and their parents that see the stadium from his office.

"People love this view," Weis said. "They love what the stadium looks like this from this office. I haven't had one person come in this office and say anything but that's awesome. So when everyone is complaining about this place everyone that walks in here is saying 'What a view, what a place'."

Bringing up the stadium renovation topic is like clockwork with the Jayhawks faithful. Whether it is on a message board, a pre-game tailgate, or casual conversation the Kansas football fans will always give an opinion on that topic.

Taking out the track has been rumored for years. But that won't happen next year or the year after. Dr. Sheahon Zenger is an aggressive planner but you have to move in small steps and take care of other projects. His predecessor Lew Perkins came up with the grand idea of the Gridiron Club.

The plan was luxury seating that would run between $30,000-150,000 depending on the package. That's not exactly something many people could write a check for. The Gridiron Club was announced prior to the 2009 season when KU was picked by many to be the Big 12 North champs.

The first 500 people to join were even going to get a private reception with the coaching staff. But the Girdiron Club never got off the ground. It was the only project in motion to improve the actual part of Memorial Stadium in a while.

Charlie Weis has played in some of the best college stadiums in the country. If Zenger walked into his office and said they were tearing out the track and upgrading seating he wouldn't get an argument from Weis. But until that happens, Weis isn't complaining about the current set-up.

"Sure you would like to have suites on one side," Weis said. "And take the track out sink the field a little more and have the stands closer. Sure, that would be wonderful. But I have no complaints with this place."

Remember Weis toured the state in May and met Kansas fans from all over. He has heard what the fans/alums have to say. But his job as a football coach isn't hurt by the Anderson Family Football Complex. The complex was built three years ago and rivals most football-only facilities in the Big 12.

In 2009 Notre Dame built the Guglielmino Complex, which is considered state-of-the-art. Weis was the head coach when the facility was built.

"This building is great," Weis said of the Anderson family Complex. "It is three years old, modern, and has all the bells and whistles. I know because I moved into a brand new one at Notre Dame and it has nothing on this one."

Down the road the University will make changes to Memorial Stadium. But it isn't going to be a fast process. The Anderson Family Complex gives the coaches and players what it needs to build the program.

"This building we are in you're not going to find one any better," Weis said. "This building is more important for a recruit than that stadium right there. This is where all the work is done. This is the nuts and bolts."