Beaty confirms completion of staff by announcing Kenny Perry hiring

By Matt Tait     Jan 15, 2015

Kansas University football coach David Beaty on Thursday officially announced the hiring of defensive backs coach Kenny Perry, who becomes the last full-time assistant coach to join Beaty’s staff.

Perry, whom sources told The Journal-World on Wednesday was leaving TCU to come to Kansas, also will serve as the Jayhawks’ co-defensive coordinator.

Perry comes to KU with serious recruiting ties in the state of Texas, where he spent 13 seasons as a head coach at three different high schools. Several sources in the college football coaching community have said that Perry was among the best hires Beaty made on his first staff, and the first-year KU coach appears to agree.

“Coach Perry is a huge key for us not only from a coaching perspective, but from a recruiting perspective as well,” Beaty said in a news release confirming the hire. “He is a well-respected former Texas high school football coach who was instrumental in the development of the North Texas High School Coaches Association.

“(He) is the definition of relationships and development. His ability to connect with kids and get them to reach new heights in their careers is what has set him apart as one of the finest coaches in our profession. Yes, he is a dear friend, but make no mistake, he is here because he is very talented and can help us build something we can all be proud of here at Kansas. I’m fired up to be coaching alongside him and all of our staff.”

2015 KU FOOTBALL COACHING STAFF

Rob Likens (offensive coordinator/quarterbacks)

Clint Bowen (defensive coordinator/defensive backs)

Zach Yenser (offensive line)

Kenny Perry (defensive backs/co-defensive coordinator)

Calvin Thibodeaux (defensive line)

Klint Kubiak (wide receivers)

Gary Hyman (special teams/tight ends)

Reggie Mitchell (running backs/recruiting coordinator)

Kevin Kane (linebackers)

Je’Ney Jackson (director of strength and conditioning)

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Written By Matt Tait

A native of Colorado, Matt moved to Lawrence in 1988 and has been in town ever since. He graduated from Lawrence High in 1996 and the University of Kansas in 2000 with a degree in Journalism. After covering KU sports for the University Daily Kansan and Rivals.com, Matt joined the World Company (and later Ogden Publications) in 2001 and has held several positions with the paper and KUsports.com in the past 20+ years. He became the Journal-World Sports Editor in 2018. Throughout his career, Matt has won several local and national awards from both the Associated Press Sports Editors and the Kansas Press Association. In 2021, he was named the Kansas Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. Matt lives in Lawrence with his wife, Allison, and two daughters, Kate and Molly. When he's not covering KU sports, he likes to spend his time playing basketball and golf, listening to and writing music and traveling the world with friends and family.