Kansas football used to be the place where coaching careers went to die. Honestly, for about a decade, being the University of Kansas football coach was arguably the toughest job in Power Five sports. You had the facilities issues, the recruiting apathy, and a fan base that—let’s be real—was usually just counting down the days until Late Night in the Phog. Then Lance Leipold showed up.
He didn't just change the win-loss column. He changed the entire vibration of Lawrence.
It’s weird to think about now, but before Leipold, the Jayhawks were a punchline. Turner Gill, Charlie Weis, David Beaty, Les Miles—it was a revolving door of "names" that just couldn't crack the code. People thought the program was cursed. They thought the shadow of Bill Self was too big. But Leipold didn't care about the shadows. He brought a blueprint from Wisconsin-Whitewater and Buffalo that was built on boring stuff. Fundamentals. Eye discipline. Recruiting kids who actually wanted to be in Kansas.
Now, in 2026, the conversation has shifted. People don't ask if Kansas can win six games anymore; they ask if they can win the Big 12. And more importantly, every time a big-market job opens up in the Big Ten or the SEC, everyone looks at Lawrence and wonders: "Is this the year someone steals him?"
The Blueprint of the Current Kansas Football Coach
What makes Leipold different from the guys who failed before him? It’s not some flashy "Air Raid" offense or a secret recruiting pipeline in Florida. It’s stability.
If you look at his staff, you see guys like Andy Kotelnicki (who eventually moved on to Penn State) and Scott Fuchs. These were guys who had been with him for years. That continuity is basically unheard of in modern college football. Most coaches change assistants like they change socks. Leipold built a system where the players knew exactly what was expected of them from day one of freshman year to their senior walk.
He’s a developmental coach. That’s a term people throw around a lot, but what does it actually mean? It means taking a three-star recruit from a small town in Kansas or Nebraska and turning him into an All-Big 12 offensive lineman. It’s about the weight room. It’s about the film study.
The University of Kansas football coach position used to be about trying to "out-athlete" Oklahoma or Texas. Leipold realized you can't do that. Not yet. You have to out-execute them. You have to be the team that doesn't commit the stupid 15-yard penalty on 3rd and 4. You have to be the team that executes the zone-read perfectly every single time.
Why the Culture Shift Stuck
The "Kansas is a basketball school" excuse was a crutch. Leipold kicked the crutch away.
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He didn't fight the basketball program; he embraced the athletic department's winning standard. He made football games an event again. Selling out David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium wasn't a fluke—it became the expectation. But he also pushed for the Gateway District project. He knew that to keep the momentum, the physical infrastructure had to match the on-field product. You can't be a top-tier University of Kansas football coach while working out of 1990s-era facilities.
It takes a certain kind of ego to succeed here. Or rather, a lack of one.
Leipold isn't a "look at me" guy. He's not on Twitter (or X, whatever) posting cryptic emojis at midnight. He’s probably in his office looking at interior line splits. That Midwestern work ethic resonates in Lawrence. It’s a blue-collar approach in a town that, deep down, really values that over the Hollywood flash of a Les Miles-type figure.
Addressing the "Flight Risk" Rumors
Every offseason, it’s the same story. Michigan? Nebraska? Wisconsin? Washington?
The rumors fly. Fans get nervous. The message boards go into a full-scale meltdown. But here’s the thing about being the University of Kansas football coach right now: the grass isn't necessarily greener.
In the new landscape of the Big 12, Kansas is a player. With the departure of the "big two" to the SEC, the power vacuum is real. Why would Leipold leave a place where he has total control, a massive new stadium renovation underway, and a lifetime-style contract to go be "just another guy" at a pressure-cooker like Florida or A&M?
- The Contract: Kansas stepped up. They realized they had a unicorn and paid him like one. The buyouts are high, and the salary is competitive with the elite.
- The Legacy: If Leipold wins a conference title at Kansas, they build a statue. If he wins 9 games at Michigan, he's on the hot seat.
- The Family: By all accounts, his family likes Lawrence. Don't underestimate how much that matters.
The reality is that Leipold has turned Kansas into a "destination" job for a certain type of coach. The kind who wants to build something lasting rather than just using a school as a stepping stone.
The Evolution of the Jayhawk Offense
We have to talk about the creativity. Under Leipold, the Jayhawks became one of the most fun teams to watch in the country.
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They use motion. They use triple-option elements. They use weird formations that make defensive coordinators have nightmares. It wasn't just about Jalon Daniels or Devin Neal—though having elite talent helps—it was about putting players in positions where they had a mathematical advantage.
Usually, when a team has less "raw" talent than their opponent, they try to slow the game down. Kansas didn't do that. They stayed aggressive. They forced the defense to think, and as any coach will tell you, a thinking player is a slow player.
This tactical flexibility is why the University of Kansas football coach role is now respected nationally. It’s seen as a lab for innovative offensive football.
Recruiting in the NIL Era
Let’s be honest: Kansas isn't out-bidding Oregon for five-star recruits.
But they are using NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) effectively. They’re focusing on "retention NIL." Keeping guys like Jalon Daniels and Devin Neal in Lawrence was a massive win. It showed that the boosters were serious. In the past, a star player at Kansas would have entered the portal the second a bigger school whispered in their ear. Now, they stay.
They stay because they believe in the man at the top.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Job
People think the Kansas job is hard because of the losing history. That’s only part of it.
The real difficulty is the lack of a natural recruiting base. You have to recruit "north-south." You have to get kids from Texas and kids from the Midwest and convince them that Lawrence, Kansas, is the place to be. You’re competing with K-State, Oklahoma State, Iowa, and Missouri for the same 3-star and 4-star "diamonds in the rough."
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Leipold's secret is that he doesn't try to win every battle. He wins the right battles. He finds the kids who fit his culture—the ones who are okay with a coach who is going to ride them hard about the details.
The Road Ahead for Kansas Football
The honeymoon period is over. People expect wins now.
That’s the ultimate compliment you can pay to a University of Kansas football coach. When a 7-5 season feels like a disappointment, you know the program has arrived. The challenge now is sustainability. Can Kansas stay in the top tier of the Big 12 year after year?
The expanded College Football Playoff changes everything. Suddenly, the path for a school like Kansas is clear. Win the Big 12, or finish in the top 10, and you’re in. That was an impossible dream five years ago. Now? It’s a concrete goal.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you're following the trajectory of the program or trying to understand why this era is different, keep an eye on these specific metrics:
- Line of Scrimmage Development: Watch the recruiting classes specifically for offensive and defensive tackles. Leipold wins from the inside out. If the size and depth there continue to improve, the program is safe.
- Assistant Coach Retention: The biggest threat to Kansas isn't necessarily Leipold leaving; it's his "disciples" being poached. Watch how he replaces key coordinators.
- The Gateway District Progress: The physical transformation of the stadium is the "point of no return." Once that project is finished, the revenue and recruiting floor of the program rises significantly.
- Post-Star Transition: The real test of a coach is what happens when the "generational" players leave. How the team performs after the current core moves to the NFL will be the definitive proof of Leipold's system.
The days of Kansas being an easy "W" on the schedule are gone. Whether you're a rival fan or a die-hard Jayhawk, you have to respect the rebuild. It wasn't done with mirrors or shortcuts. It was done with a whistle, a plan, and a coach who actually wanted to be there.
That's the Lance Leipold story. And it’s far from over.