Lance Leipold expects to finish his career as head coach at Kansas

Lance Leipold has done such a great job turning Kansas around, his name has been linked to plenty of other programs. A serial winner throughout his coaching tenure, it’s not a surprise that other athletic directors would be looking to hire Leipold. Unfortunately for them, he does not plan on ever leaving Lawrence.

“You can never say never in this game because you never know exactly what happens internally or externally,” Leipold said via the On 2nd Thought podcast. “But it’s our expectation that we finish my career at the University of Kansas.”

Kansas is the third head coaching job Leipold has taken in his career. He has not been once to bounce quickly either. Leipold began at Wisconsin-Whitewater, staying there for eight years and winning six NCAA Division III national championships.

Even when moving up to Division I FBS with Buffalo, six seasons were spent with the MAC program before he decided to jump at a Power Five offer. Leipold is not going to abandon jobs quickly for absolutely no reason.

“I feel like you got to see some things through,” Leipold said. “I know last year, it would have been awful hard to look at those young men and leave in under two years.”

Leipold has a Midwest background and feels right at home in Kansas. However, some bigger name programs have popped up in the Midwest, with Leipold’s name being linked. Nebraska was one of them a year ago. Michigan State recently fired Mel Tucker and will need to make a big hire.

There will be no budging from the Leipold household. Everyone, from his wife to his high school-aged son, is happy with the situation in Lawrence.

“My wife and I are extremely happy here,” Leipold said. “We’ve been taken care of. We have a son that’s a junior in high school. We don’t want to relocate him.”

Kansas will be grateful Leipold wants to stick around. He has rejuvenated the program and has made it competitive once again. Earning a bowl bid last season was a major stepping stone, being the first since 2008 despite the loss.

Leipold’s next step will likely be having a winning season. The Liberty Bowl loss meant Kansas finished with a 6-7 record, continuing the now-14-year streak of finishing below .500. Beginning 2023 with a 4-0 record is a great start with multiple winnable games remaining on the schedule.