Lance Leipold states commitment to Kansas: 'We want to be here'

Any college football program looking to hire Kansas' Lance Leipold might have to look elsewhere.

Leipold, 59, shot down rumors that he has interviewed with other schools and might be leaving Kansas, stating that he'd like to finish his coaching career in Lawrence during an interview on his weekly Hawk Talk radio show.

"This [radio interview] is the only interview and that's the way it's going to be," Leipold said Wednesday. "The one thing that happens this time of year is there's a lot of speculation and things that are happening that are not accurate. As I've said for a long time, [Kansas athletic director] Travis Goff and Chancellor [Douglas] Girod have treated Kelly and I extremely well and our family. It is our plan and our expectation that we want to be here and this is going to be the last job that we have."

Leipold's ability to turn Kansas' football program around so quickly has made him one of the top potential candidates on the coaching carousel, with the next round of coaching changes likely to take place in the coming weeks. Michigan State, which is one of two Power 5 schools currently with an opening at head coach, has been rumored to have interest in Leipold to replace Mel Tucker. A talk show host in Michigan reported Wednesday that Leipold interviewed with Michigan State a day prior. 

Goff isn't surprised that his school's football coach is garnering outside interest as the Jayhawks are in the midst of a 7-2 season and were ranked 16th in the most recent College Football Playoff poll. But he's also happy to see the renewed commitment Leipold's had in Kansas. 

"I would be shocked if his name wasn't bubbling up one way or the other in just about every opening," Goff told the Wichita Eagle on Tuesday. "That would indicate ‘what are we doing in our industry’ if that's not happening. So I'm excited for that and continuing to reiterate that we've got a great one. We've got a great one that's excited about and committed to leading KU."

Leipold arrived in Lawrence following Kansas' 0-9 season in 2020 and 11 straight seasons of three or fewer wins. Leipold, who went 24-10 in his final three seasons at Buffalo, struggled in his first season at Kansas, going 2-10. But he led the Jayhawks to a 5-0 start in 2022, and even though they finished 6-7, he took them to their first bowl game in 14 years. That earned Leipold a contract extension through the 2029 season that pays him, on average, $5.3 million per year.

The Jayhawks were picked to finish in ninth place in the Big 12 entering the season, but they've gone 4-2 in conference play despite missing preseason Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year Jalon Daniels for six games. The program earned its biggest win in decades a couple of weeks ago, defeating then-undefeated and sixth-ranked Oklahoma, 38-33.

Kansas could play in its first conference title game in a matter of weeks, though it would need some outside help to get there. Goff told reporters Wednesday that he thinks "these past couple of weeks really indicate this is something that can be great for the long haul."

Leipold also marveled at the program's success over a relatively quick time, expressing a desire to stick through it.

"I was talking with Travis Goff on Monday, and he said, 'Can you believe it's only been two-and-a-half years,'" Leipold said. "I said, well, in many ways it feels like five or more because of the progress of the team on the field but also how comfortable our family is, being welcomed by everybody and how much we just enjoy being here."