Jason Bean wants to end career with a bowl game victory

For the Kansas seniors, tonight will be the last time that they put on the Jayhawk uniform in hopes of a win. The group has endured one of the most drastic turnarounds in all of college football, and quarterback Jason Bean is at the center of it.

“It's been surreal,” quarterback Jason Bean said. “This is my last practice as a Jayhawk. It's definitely important. I mean, you walk off the field after practice and try to soak it in, because of the stuff that we have been through here.”

Bean arrived at Kansas from North Texas ahead of the 2021 season at the same time head coach Lance Leipold came over from Buffalo. It was a rough go for Bean and the Jayhawks as he started nine games, throwing for six touchdowns and six interceptions.

After Jalon Daniels won the job to start the 2022 season, Bean took over when Daniels went down against TCU, and got the opportunity to quarterback Kansas in both games that they clinched bowl eligibility in his tenure. Once in 2022 with a win over Oklahoma State, and again in 2023 against Oklahoma.

“It was a pretty fun experience just to be a part of it and have my teammates there with me,” Bean said. “I think that those two games will be games that I'll remember for the rest of my life, just of how important they were to this team and my teammates around me.”

There are not many who embody the turnaround that has taken place at Kansas quite like Bean, but he is quick to recognize how many others were responsible for the rebuild. He has grown very close with linebacker Rich Miller, who came over with Leipold from Buffalo before the 2021 season.

“The amount of things that we have been through together, I think that we're thankful for the friendship that we had here, and I think there's a lot of learning experiences and I think that's kind of helped us to get to the position that we are in now,” Bean said.

One of the biggest reasons for Bean transferring to Kansas was to play in a tougher conference and prove to himself that he could play at a high level. Even though Daniels replaced him, he turned into a reliable backup to where the team did not have to make very many offensive changes. With the opportunity that Daniels’ injuries provided, Bean proved he could win in the Big 12.

“I think that was the main goal,” Bean said. “Just trying to make sure that I can prove to myself that I can play at this level and I think I've done that and I'm thankful for the opportunity that I've had here at KU and thankful for the fans and my teammates and the coaches, too.”

It seemed like Bean’s career at Kansas was set to end before the 2022 Liberty Bowl, but he decided to come back and use his last year of eligibility for 2023. He was at the center of attention after the 55-53 overtime loss to Arkansas, as he was the last person to touch the ball in that game.

His throw that went out of the back of the end zone ended the chances for the 2022 team to win a bowl game. Now he awaits another opportunity to avenge the ending he had in the Liberty Bowl.

“I think last season, it is what it is, and I'm thankful that it did happen,” Bean said. “I have learned so much from last year and just that last game, even the last play. I think that we kind of shot for the stars this season with our goals, and we kind of came up short. But we still have a chance to win a bowl championship. I think there is no better feeling than winning a championship and especially for me, it's my last game.”