Lance Leipold reaffirms commitment to Kansas Football amid Washington speculation

Multiple outlets are reporting that Kansas head football coach Lance Leipold is likely to remain with the Jayhawks amid speculation he could be a lead candidate for the Washington job.

Kansas fans might be able to breathe a sigh of relief, as Coach Leipold himself tweeted out Sunday afternoon that he’s excited to get to work on the 2024 Jayhawk team. Additionally, college football insider Matt Fortuna reported that Leipold and Kansas are close to reaching a contract extension to keep him in Lawrence.

Here was Leipold’s Tweet:

The guys come back to campus tomorrow. Can’t wait to get back to work with them in ‘24!!

Rock Chalk!!

— Lance Leipold (@CoachLeipold) January 14, 2024

And the report from Fortuna:

“SOURCES: Lance Leipold is staying at Kansas. Leipold had drawn considerable interest from Washington. Leipold and Kansas are nearing an extension, per source.”

Sometimes, the best coaching move a school can make is simply keeping its own successful guy with the program, and that’s what appears to have happened here. Of course, Leipold is highly-souight-after for a reason: he’s making real strides at Kansas of all places, historically, a plce that’s brutally tough to win at.

But in three seasons, Leipold finished with two wins before earning six wins and the program’s first bowl in more than a decade in year two. Then, in 2023, Leipold won nine games with the Jayhawks, a mark the program has only reached six times in the last 115+ years.

Kansas is keeping a good one, and Washington is missing out.

Other names to watch for Washington

As Washington’s search goes on, ESPN’s Pete Thamel recently provided nine names to keep an eye on. We can now cross two of them off in Leipold and former Husky offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb. But that still leaves a slew of other qualified candidates to keep an eye on.

“Washington will be an attractive job. Officials there — for now — won’t have any college market competition,” Thamel posted on X (or Twitter). “Quick list (no order): Lance Leipold, Jedd Fisch, Matt Campbell, Ryan Grubb, Barry Odom, Chris Klieman, Kyle Whittingham, Dave Clawson, Kalani Sitake.”

Even without Leipold or Grubb, that’s a fascinating mixture of established head coaches, talented play callers and leaders looking to move up a weight class. Washington will be able to convince some high-profile coach to follow in DeBoer’s footsteps, it just remains to be seen who.

Nevertheless, Kalen DeBoer will have his work cutout for him with the Crimson Tide, but he’s certainly leaving the Huskies better than how he found them. He can take solace in that.