There is no question that the revival Lance Leipold has orchestrated at Kansas has the chance to become one of the most impressive seen in power-conference football. The Jayhawks had probably solidified themselves as the nation’s worst power-conference team since the departure of great head coach Mark Mangino all the way back in 2009.
Yet since being hired ahead of the 2021 season, Leipold and his staff have churned out a 27-35 record over five years that has resulted in two bowl appearances, a 9-4 record in 2023, and much-improved recruiting and NCAA Transfer Portal classes.
However, with that comes newfound expectations. Now all of a sudden, making a bowl game is the new bar, and over the last two seasons, Kansas has failed to clear that bar with back-to-back 5-7 campaigns.
Leipold gives honest answer that keeps the fans onside about the team’s expectations
When asked about how the standards of the program have changed since his introduction following the train wreck of the Les Miles era, Leipold answered, “Obviously, standards have changed, and expectations have changed in Lawrence, Kansas, since we arrived, and we're proud of that.’
From 2009 through the 2020 season, KU managed just 26 wins, one less than Leipold has in the last five years.
“And obviously, the last couple years, we haven't found a way to close out some close ball games. We've had some opportunities, probably well documented, some close losses. We could be sitting up here today talking about four consecutive bowl games and yada, yada, yada. But we haven't done that. And it falls on the head coach, and I have to do a better job of doing that.”
Last season, games against Missouri, Cincinnati, Arizona and Utah were all narrowly dropped performances that eventually proved vital.
“Our players embrace that. They understand that we're getting people's better shots than we did a couple years ago, as far as who the Kansas Jayhawks are. And we have to embrace that. But I also know that our guys believe that we put together staff and a team this year that could be extremely competitive, could be surprising.”
Leipold then went on to speak about the parity that the transfer portal has brought to the game, combined with the tales of TCU and Baylor once being underdogs in their own respective runs earlier this decade. Proving that a run from out of nowhere from any team, especially in the Big 12, is nowhere near impossible.
This season, the Jayhawks are reeling in a transfer portal class ranked 53rd-best according to 247Sports. Combine that with the No. 64 recruiting class.
Not numbers that are going to jump off the charts as Big 12 title-contending, but that isn’t what KU fans realistically expect. If the Jayhawks can navigate themselves to a third bowl game in six full years under Leipold, he suddenly cements himself as one of the best hires since the turn of the decade, proving just how crucial a successful 2026 season is for him and his team.
The first chance for the nation to see the Jayhawks is set for September 4th against LIU inside David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.
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