Lance Leipold shares importance of Kansas having preseason expectations

Kansas will begin the season ranked in the AP top 25 for the first time since 2009, debuting at No. 22 in the rankings after winning nine games in coach Lance Leipold‘s third season in charge. It’s been a relatively quick ramp-up for the program under Leipold, who walked into a mess.

After going 2-10 in his first season in 2021, Leipold improved the Jayhawks to 6-7 in 2022 and then 9-4 in 2023. Now, hopefully with a healthy Jalon Daniels at quarterback, the program is looking to take the next step.

Leipold will look to use the hype from the preseason rankings however he can.

“It doesn’t mean much, especially as we get close to kicking off,” he said. “But I also have to make sure that it does mean something for this program considering where we’re at, what it’s been. We need to make sure that we’re taking strides from last year and then enough this year that people are recognizing this program and recognizing the talent on this team and some of the things that we’ve been able to do.”

In other words, that preseason recognition won’t mean a whole lot if Kansas isn’t still ranked at season’s end. The goal is to keep stacking success on top of itself. So far, Leipold’s been terrific at doing that.

The real key for the Jayhawks, as noted above, might simply be the health of Daniels. When healthy, he’s one of the top quarterbacks in the country. He’s coming off a season in which he threw for 2,014 yards and 18 touchdowns despite facing back problems starting just four games into the season.

But he’s not the only player who can make a huge impact at Kansas this year. Lance Leipold has done a good job building out his depth chart, and the Jayhawks have improved in recruiting.

The other element to being ranked in the preseason is exactly what that can do for recruiting. It should provide a nice jolt.

“So that is positive, because whether it be recruiting, whether it be our fanbase, whatever the case may be, we’ve got to take these type of things and take them for what they’re worth, but also at face value,” Lance Leipold said. “It doesn’t win you anything. But again, hopefully, win and people are going to get behind this program.”