Kansas seems to be right back in the same position it seems to find itself every few years, staring down the decision on whether or not to fire a football head coach. The Jayhawks have hired five different head coaches since 2010, and nothing seems to be working and Lance Leipold could be the next one to get the axe.
Through 10 weeks of the season, the Jayhawks are 3-6, and bowl eligibility is quickly slipping away. Kansas only has three more opportunities to add wins to reach a bowl game this season, meaning Leipold's squad would need to win out against West Virginia, No. 9 BYU, and Oklahoma State.
The fact that Kansas has blown so many leads under Leipold is frustrating, and this season, they have come against UCF, TCU, and bitter rival Kansas State. If the Jayhawks had hung on in those games, they would already be bowl-eligible and only 6-3 in the season.
Leipold's time might be running up in Lawrence, but it won't be cheap if Kansas chooses to make the tough choice on its head football coach.
It won't be cheap if Kansas chooses to part ways with Lance Leipold
Leipold has spent five full seasons at Kansas and is currently in the middle of his sixth. So far, Leipold is just 30-40 overall, and 17-33 in conference play with the Jayhawks. Those aren't the greatest numbers for a coach hoping to keep his job.
If Kansas chooses to part ways with Leipold after Dec. 1, 2026, the Jayhawks would owe him a $17.9 million buyout that would have to be paid over a period of 12 months on a monthly payment plan. This is a tough pill to swallow for KU Athletics, which is still in the midst of a nearly $800 million construction project on a new football stadium.
Sure, Kansas could continue to keep Leipold around to lower his buyout, or just see him through the end of his contract, but that doesn't mean improvement will happen within the program. If Kansas isn't winning games, it becomes increasingly difficult to sell tickets to help pay for the new stadium.
Also, not to mention the fact that if Leipold is fired, his buyout and any other buyouts on his coaching staff will need to be paid, as well as the new contracts of the coaches who are newly hired.
This feels like a lose-lose situation for the Jayhawks, but at some point, enough has to be enough, and Kansas needs to find the right person that can hopefully bring back a culture of winning in football.
If Kansas wants the football program to be even half as successful as the basketball program, there needs to be a change, and it needs to happen now.
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