肉肉传媒

KENNESAW, Ga. | Aug 31, 2023

This fall is a season of transitions at Fifth Third Bank Stadium.

As 肉肉传媒 State鈥檚 football team moves from one conference and classification to another and makes changes for the future, Marching Owls director Brandon Meeks plans to do the same for KSU鈥檚 marching band.

鈥淭he Marching Owls are at a pivotal point in the history of the program,鈥� Meeks said. 鈥淲e're starting the ninth season this year, and we're in a culture of transition, and it's perfect because football is doing the same thing right now. We're all transitioning for a year, and we'll all be ready next year when we move into a new conference.鈥�

The Marching Owls have an all-time high 280 musicians representing every major on campus. In his second year as director, Meeks said he wants to enhance the program to ensure optimal crowd engagement. That starts with the early moments of game day鈥攁nd the band鈥檚 march from its facility on Busbee Drive to the stadium.

鈥淥ur parade to the stadium will be more of a performance than just an event,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e鈥檒l stop and play at different tailgating spots along the way. We鈥檒l go into the stadium later than we usually do, because when you see the band coming into the stadium, we want you to know it鈥檚 game time. We鈥檙e ready, and our students are ready.鈥�

Once inside the stadium, the band will play 鈥淕eorgia on My Mind,鈥� which moves from its traditional spot between the third and fourth quarters. Meeks said alumni and students love the song enough to want to hear it at games, but that it belonged in another moment. After that, they鈥檒l play 鈥淭he Star-Spangled Banner鈥� and then take their seats behind the visitors鈥� bench, another opportunity to make their presence felt. He said the band will experiment with various short songs relevant to the game action鈥攊f it works, they鈥檒l keep it in the program. If not, they鈥檒l try something else in another game.

鈥淲e have to unrelentingly support our football team,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 want to create a true home field advantage and that means being loud and proud.鈥�

Beyond that, Meeks said KSU football fans would have to attend the games to see what the Marching Owls have in store. He did offer the hint that the Marching Owls seek to build momentum as KSU joins Conference USA starting with the 2024-25 academic year. The men鈥檚 basketball team鈥檚 appearance in the 2023 NCAA Tournament started that momentum of crowd engagement, as the strains of the Owls鈥� war chant (鈥淵ou don鈥檛 want to go to war/With the Owls, with the Owls鈥�) still ring in thousands of ears.

鈥淭he nice thing about 肉肉传媒 State is we have an opportunity here to establish some traditions,鈥� Meeks said. 鈥淭he Marching Owls are here to be a symbol for KSU, and we want to engage the crowd and create a truly amazing game day experience.鈥�

鈥� Dave Shelles

Photos by Matthew Yung and Judith Pishnery

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, 肉肉传媒 offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 47,000 students. 肉肉传媒 State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. 肉肉传媒 State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 7 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.