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Joe Hastings dreamed of playing in an NFL stadium while growing up in Wichita and playing at Washburn. Little did he know the Ichabods would be playing at Arrowhead, the one stadium he prized the most, a few years after he graduated.

"That was one of my dreams, to play one game at Arrowhead Stadium," said Hastings, whose alma mater plays Northwest Missouri State on Nov. 15 at Arrowhead. "I didn't get to play there, but I did get to play in the NFL, and that was another one of my dreams."

Tickets for the game are available online or by calling 785-670-BODS. Fans can also purchase a seat on a chartered bus, parking passes and passes to Washburn's tailgate.

Like his former teammate and current San Francisco linebacker Michael Wilhoite, Hastings worked his way up from the practice squad to the active roster for the 49ers in 2011, playing in the final game of the season against the St. Louis Rams. He was with San Francisco in training camp in 2012 and re-signed with the franchise in 2013 before closing out his career with the Miami Dolphins in the same year. He retired from football that summer.

"It was just time to move on. I'd signed a two-year contract with Miami, but after the injuries, my body wasn't recovering like it used to," he said. "It got the point that I didn't want to do more damage. I wanted to have an active lifestyle."

Hastings continues to follow the Ichabods. He said the experience of playing at an NFL stadium is a wonderful opportunity for Washburn.

"I remember when I was in college being so jealous of Pittsburg State and Northwest Missouri because they got to play at Arrowhead," he said. "You never know if you're going to get that shot, so the next best thing is playing in an NFL stadium while you're in college. That is going to be an awesome experience for our guys."

Though his playing days are in the past, Hastings continues to live his NFL dream as a pro personnel coordinator with the Philadelphia Eagles. He works in scouting and daily operations for a team among the favorites to reach the Super Bowl.

"When I played, I made a lot of connections, and that paid off," Hasting said. "I took a year off when I was done playing, but I started to miss it. I wanted to stay in the NFL, so I reached out and ended up with job. Eventually, I'd love to be a general manager."

The road to becoming a general manager is a long one, but Hastings is no stranger to adversity. While at Washburn, he overcome two season-ending knee injuries to become one of the top receivers in college football. In 2010, he had 1,546 yards on 87 receptions.

"I have a ton to learn, but I know football and I played at the highest level," he said. "Washburn was the foundation of everything for me. Coach (Craig) Schurig gave me a chance, and that's all I needed. The preparation I did there, the University, the people, all of that was a huge building block."