David Beaty to Kansas: Latest Contract Details, Comments, Reaction

Kansas has chosen Texas A&M wide receivers coach David Beaty to fill the program's vacant head coaching position. He previously had brief stints with the Jayhawks as co-offensive coordinator in 2011 and receivers coach in 2008-09.

Kansas made things official via Twitter:

Jayhawks Slant made a note about how the rest of the coaching staff will look:

Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports first reported the news.

Feldman also notes the growing success of Kevin Sumlin assistants:

This will mark his first head coaching gig at the collegiate level. He takes over for Clint Bowen, who filled in on an interim basis for the final eight games after the dismissal of Charlie Weis.

While it may take some time for Beaty to establish his coaching identity, the one area where he's made an impact is on the recruiting trail. He spent the past two seasons as the coordinator of that effort for the Aggies.

Being able to attract top-end talent has been an issue for the Jayhawks in recent years. That helps explain why they haven't had a winning season since 2008. It's an area in which the program should see rapid improvement under Beaty.

His main focus at the outset will probably be on offense. As his bio on Texas A&M's official athletic site notes, he had success helping develop players on that side of the ball while at Kansas in the past:

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While at KU, he helped receivers Kerry Meier and Dezmon Briscoe develop into NFL caliber players. Meier received All-Big 12 accolades in 2008 and 2009, while Briscoe was an All-American and first-team All-Big 12 pick in 2009. In 2008 five different KU players produced a total of 15 100-yard receiving games. Among the school records set by KU wide receivers in 2008 were season receptions, game receptions, season yards, game yards, and season touchdowns.

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Kansas needed a new direction after the failed stays of Turner Gill and Weis. Beaty should be able to create a new identity for Jayhawks football by excelling in the recruiting battles they have otherwise lost recently.

Risk comes with his lack of head coaching experience at this level, but the program is in a position where it can afford to swing for the fences—a major boost is needed after an extended stretch of lackluster performances.