Kansas football: Lance Leipold reaffirms plans to finish his career at KU

In college football, there’s always a price that comes with success.

For the more established programs, that price typically comes in the form of money and new, lucrative contracts for the coaching staff. For the lesser-established programs, that price can often come in the form of losing your head coach to a program with a richer history, more resources and money, and better facilities.

That’s been in the back of minds with many Kansas football fans ever since last season when head coach Lance Leipold led the Jayhawks to a surprise 6-7 season and their first bowl game appearance since 2008.

Rumors were flying that he was going to be a target for both the Nebraska and Wisconsin head coaching jobs – two jobs that were assumed to be “dream jobs” for Leipold due to his previous ties to the programs and states where he lived and coached for several years.

But Leipold never came close to leaving Kansas for either opportunity. Instead, he and his staff were rewarded with new contracts and a commitment from the Kansas administration to make serious changes and investments in the program.

Some of those commitments have already come to fruition in the form of new, state-of-the-art locker room and weight room facilities. Work on the new stadium is also expected to begin this winter.

And yet, Leipold’s name continues to pop up in conversations about head coaching vacancies – the latest being Michigan State. There were even rumors floating around that Leipold had interviewed for the job.

However, during Leipold’s weekly Hawk Talk radio show, not only did he shut down that rumor, he made it clear that he and his family plan to remain at Kansas for the remainder of his career.

“This is the only interview I’ve done today and that’s the way it’s going to be,” Leipold said. “As I’ve said for a long time, Travis Goff and Chancellor Girod have treated Kelly and I extremely well. And it is our plan and expectation that we want to be here, and this is going to be the last job we have.”

To hear those words come from Leipold is extremely reassuring for a fanbase that has long been overdue for a coach of his caliber.

And fans don’t want to see this program revert back to the dark days of the pre-Leipold era, and neither does Goff.

“I want these two guys to coach until the wheels fall off, literally, in both cases,” Goff said recently when speaking about Bill Self’s new contract agreement and Leipold’s success.

Goff also indicated another contract negotiation may be on the table for Leipold when the time is right.

“We demonstrated a strong commitment a year ago, but that doesn’t mean you just sit idle, doesn’t mean you get comfortable, and ultimately I think we’ve got a chance to have, and maybe we already do, have the two best in the country when you take into account men’s basketball and football coaches.”

With Goff’s steady leadership and clear commitment to the football program, the question was never going to be, “Is KU willing to do what’s necessary to keep Leipold?” That answer is an obvious yes.

The real question – since Leipold’s meteoric rise in success – was always simply going to be “Can KU keep Leipold?” After Leipold’s comments on Wednesday, that question no longer appears to be asked.

Leipold is as committed to this university, program, and fanbase as they are to him. And together, KU football has as bright of a future as it’s had in a very long time.