LAWRENCE — A few minutes after the news conference, David Beaty stepped into his new office and asked his wife, Raynee, a direct question.

"How’d I do?"

His biggest critic was honest. David had mistakenly said "Texas" instead of "Kansas" a few minutes into his speech when talking about players wanting to play for the school in their home state.

Following the critique, though, came words of comfort.

"Your heart," Raynee said, "came through."

Though his words might not have been perfect, Beaty couldn’t have asked for much more from his introduction as Kansas football’s 38th head coach Monday.

During his 32 minutes at the podium, the 44-year-old displayed the same enthusiasm and energy that helped him land his new position the previous week.

"It grabbed the committee members," KU athletic director Sheahon Zenger said, "in a way I’ve never seen before."

That started even before Beaty’s interview last Wednesday.

Without prompting, the former Texas A&M receivers coach sent out a four-page document to the committee members explaining who he was and what his future plans would be for KU. That included a current evaluation of the program, a list of potential future staff members, ideas on ramping up recruiting and an overview of his big-picture plans.

Committee member David Jaynes — an All-America quarterback for KU in 1973 — was impressed immediately.

"These are the kinds of things that if you’re smart and want to be successful, you’ll do," Jaynes said. "And my feeling is, if he gets it — which he does — then when he’s trying to recruit great players, he’s going to do the same thing."

Beaty’s second impression was just as strong.

During the two-hour phone interview Wednesday, Beaty’s attention to detail and enthusiasm "captured his audience," according to Jaynes.

"There are times in life when you’re presented with something, whatever it may be, and all of a sudden, your heart starts beating faster than normal," Jaynes said. "You can feel it, and you know it."

Jaynes said he’d had the same sort of feeling when he was recruited to KU as a high school athlete 45 years ago.

"You feel like this person has ‘it,’ " Jaynes said. "You just have this visceral reaction like, ‘Wow, this is something exceptional here.’ That’s the only way I can explain it."

Jaynes wasn’t alone in his assessment of Beaty.

When committee members connected again at 10 a.m. Thursday, their feedback to Zenger was overwhelming: It was time to go hire KU’s new coach.

Jaynes made sure to ask Zenger — he’d kept his opinion to himself as to not contaminate the committee — if he felt the same way, and when he agreed, a process Zenger had expected to last into the next week was wrapped up in the ensuing 48 hours.

"At the end of the day, when the committee said, ‘Go get him now,’ there’s some advantages to getting him now, getting the staff started," Zenger said. "But even more than that, there are recruits that will be able to be here next weekend because we were able to do this at this point.

"That wasn’t the driving factor, but it was a nice benefit."

Beaty won’t come at nearly the cost of KU’s previous coaches. Though his official contract has not been released, Zenger said Beaty’s five-year contract would be for $800,000 annually with incentives that could bring his yearly total over $1.5 million.

KU’s two previous coaches had more lucrative deals. Turner Gill signed a five-year, $10-million contract with previous athletic director Lew Perkins, while Zenger inked Charlie Weis to a five-year, $12.5 contract.

"It’s about presence and people coming to KU to coach for the right reasons, not because there’s a lot of money on the table (but) because they have a burning, passionate desire to be successful and for KU to be successful," Jaynes said. "This is what it’s about. I don’t give a damn about name coaches. I care about why someone is coming to KU and do they have the talent, obviously, but do they also have the burning desire to be successful?

"I have no doubt that David Beaty has that desire."

Beaty’s excitement came through in his mannerisms Monday. While at the podium, he spoke of building relationships, working hard and earning respect — and did it with his body swaying side to side, his hands moving from place to place to release additional energy.

"Kansas, the university and the students here deserve a successful football program," Beaty said, "and we have a plan in place for that."

More on offense — Beaty said he planned to bring a fast-paced, up-tempo offense to KU.

"It’s fun watching that ball go all over the yard. It’s fun watching guys catch touchdown passes. It’s fun watching Todd Reesing run around and swing that thing across his body for 75 yards and a touchdown on the post to Dezmon Briscoe," Beaty said. "That stuff, man, you talk about fun, that was fun, and it can happen like that, and I think that’s one thing that has really drawn people to this is it’s something that’s exciting to watch."

Bowen on board — Beaty said he had no hesitation in hiring Clint Bowen as his assistant head coach and defensive coordinator, calling him "one of the finest defensive minds in this country."

"Not only do I believe in what he does, I believe in his production, and I’ve seen with my own eyes what he’s capable of doing," Beaty said. "He was a key piece to us moving forward here and being able to achieve what we wanted to achieve."

Patience on staff — Beaty said it might be a few weeks before KU filled out the rest of its coaching staff, as he would be willing to wait until the end of other teams’ seasons for the right coaches.

"There’s a lot better people out there than me, and I get that. That’s why I’m trying to hire them. I’m not afraid of having better people around me. As a matter of fact it might not be very hard to do," Beaty said. "But I’m going to tell you this: I’m going to go get the best folks in the country, and we’re going to win together."

Reunited — KU quarterback Michael Cummings said Beaty helped recruit him to KU when he was a part of Gill’s staff in 2011.

The junior said he remembered receiving a recruiting call from Beaty while in his car in high school.

"I’m excited to play for the guy," Cummings said. "I trust him. I believe in him."