Devin Neal has a different story than most players on the Kansas roster. He grew just miles from the KU campus and was the local player everybody was following through his recruiting process.
His story is well-documented growing up watching Kansas sports and turned down several offers to stay near home. He showed emotion after rushing for 143 yards and three touchdowns helping the Jayhawks defeat Texas 57-56.
“I've watched the ups and downs of this program,” Neal said. “Since I was a little kid, I dreamed of this moment, playing here, coming to this crazy environment. I have nothing but respect for Texas. To put that performance together from all aspects of the game, special teams, offense, defense, it was truly special to be part of it.”
Neal also hauled in a 28-yard touchdown from Jalon Daniels.
He became the first player to score four touchdowns in a road game for the Jayhawks since running back June Henley in 1996.
He was asked after the game about turning down multiple offers to play football and baseball and be a Jayhawk.
“I had offers to Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Iowa, K-State, and schools like that,” he said. “But I knew where home was for me. And this is the moment why I came here, because I knew we're going to turn the tide. We're going to change this program. And this is the type of game that we needed for my proof. That is going to happen.”
Neal hopes he is showing an example of what local recruits can do choosing to play for the Jayhawks. Just a year ago he was very instrumental helping lure other players to Kansas when he was a recruit.
He hopes performances like Texas resonates with recruits in the region.
“We're seeing more local kids commit to the Jayhawks,” he said. “I think they now see that we compete at a high level and know we're really turning tide, turning the page over. And, like I said before we faced a lot of adversity throughout this season and to put together a performance like that in the latter half of the season is just so important.”
After the game Neal wanted to reach out to his parents Freda and Ryan. He said they have gatherings to watch the football games when they can’t attend.
“Me and my family are just so tight,” Neal said. “It's one of the core reasons why I stayed in Lawrence at KU. They have a little get together at Johnny's right now with a lot of my family friends and just seeing how much support that we have back home and how the excitement we brought to their faces, it just meant the world to me.”
When Jared Casey pulled in the two-point conversion pass from Jalon Daniels for the game-winner Neal said he could not see it. But he quickly realized what happened and joined the celebration.
“I was on the opposite side and then I didn't actually see the catch because of the bodies of people,” he said. “But I saw everybody running towards them. So, I made my way towards them too and jumped in the dog pile with them. The amount of emotion we had and the excitement that we all had together, it was just truly remarkable.”
The Texas game was Neal’s best as a Jayhawk and he has already turned in three, 100-yard rushing performances in his freshman year. He was quick to admit the win in Austin was a result of everyone coming together.
“We had a good game plan going into the game obviously, and I think we executed it perfectly,” Neal said. “I give all the credit to the o-line, the big fellas up front. They work their tails off all week. I respect those guys so much and to see, they're in the trenches, how hard they work, the bumps, the bruises, the grinding that they face every day.”
He continued: “And, I'm just super proud of the receivers on the perimeter block and Jaylon's reads, just everyone. The, the core effort from the offensive standpoint was just beautiful in my opinion. So, that just made my job a lot easier.”
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