Jackson Stoefen talks about KU offer, another visit planned
The Jayhawks are going to get a chance to make a second impression on Jackson Stoefen. The offensive lineman from Eldridge, Iowa is going to make a return trip this weekend.
Stoefen visited Lawrence last week with his father after the Kansas spring game. They went to Nebraska’s spring game, which was the same day of the Jayhawks game. The next day they drove to Kansas City and made their way to see the KU program.
“Coach Meadows told me they wanted to get me down on campus,” Stoefen said. “I was already planning to visit Kansas. I was at Nebraska's spring game and its only three hours south of Lincoln. I really wanted to check out. I know Les Miles is down there now, and I was super excited about it.”
Although the Kansas spring game was on Saturday, they still had one practice remaining to close out the season on Monday. Stoefen attended practice and watched the offensive line group.
“We got there and checked out the facilities and walked around, and then went out to practice,” he said. “I talked with Coach Meadows a lot during practice. I talked to Coach Les Miles, which kind of had me seeing the stars in my eyes.”
After the practice was over Stoefen went inside the Anderson Family Complex and got more time with the coaching staff. He was meeting with Meadows when he got the news the Jayhawks were extending a scholarship offer.
“I was with Coach Meadows in his office and we were talking about where I fit with them,” he said. “It didn't really sound like I was going to get an offer, and then sure enough, Les Miles comes in the room and he just offered me right there, with my dad in there. It was just a surreal moment.”
Stoefen recalled what was going through his mind when Miles entered the room and offered him a full ride.
“I was like Holy crap, Les Miles is right in front of me,” he said. “That was kind of going through my mind. I mean the timing was just kind of crazy. I was just sitting there. I didn't really expect anything out of the visit like an offer. I was kind of expecting it to be sort of a come on down on campus, we'll get you here a couple more times, see where you fit, come to camp sort of deal.”
The good news is Stoefen will return to Lawrence again this weekend. He said he wants his mother to come on the visit since she wasn’t there for the first one.
Stoefen said he would like to make a decision this summer. He plays baseball and in Iowa that is an official high school summer sport. There won’t be a lot of time to take visits with baseball going on.
“For me, my recruiting picture is starting to all come together now,” he said. “I've got a Power Five opportunity. I'd like to be able to go out and make a decision this summer. I’d kind of like to be able to make a decision and get it over with and get on with my senior season and make sure that this last year of baseball is a good one.”
Stoefen has visited Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas State, Northern Illinois, Illinois State, South Dakota, South Dakota State, and North Dakota State. He plans to visit to visit Iowa and Northern Illinois again, and there could be others.