Report: Lance Leipold, Jake Dickert emerge as top candidates for Michigan State opening

Michigan State is fresh off officially firing Mel Tucker for cause, a move a couple of weeks in the making. Harlan Barnett is the acting head coach but with Tucker being let go, the Spartans can officially begin a search for their next head coach. According to Bruce Feldman of The Athletic, two names have already emerged as top candidates.

Feldman believes Kansas‘ Lance Leipold and Washington State‘s Jake Dickert will be the top two guys for Michigan State. The two have some differences, with Leipold being the more experienced coach. But both have done impressive jobs at programs you would not consider college football powerhouses.

Lance Leipold has won at all three head coaching stops

A few years ago, you would have never expected a Kansas head coach to be such a hot commodity in the market. Leipold has taken expectations and smashed through them, finally making the program a competitive one in the Big 12.

Recent comments from Leipold suggest he is not interested in leaving Lawrence, though. Heading into Saturday’s game against Texas, Leipold says the expectation of him and his family is to retire with Kansas.

“You can never say never in this game because you never know exactly what happens internally or externally,” Leipold, 59, said via the On 2nd Thought podcast. “But it’s our expectation that we finish my career at the University of Kansas.”

No matter what Leipold says about his feelings about taking another job, Feldman believes it’s a call Michigan State has to make.

“This is a call that, if you’re Michigan State, you probably have to make, because Leipold is an elite football coach and he has proven it everywhere he has been,” Feldman said.

Leipold has been a head coach at three stops — Wisconsin-Whitewater, Buffalo, and Kansas. His combined record is 158-56, including 12-17 with the Jayhawks. Six NCAA Division III national championships were won by Wisconsin-Whitewater under Leipold’s watch.

Jake Dickert could bring new energy to Michigan State

Dickert is a little bit of the opposite for Michigan State. He is not as experienced as Leipold, with Washington State being his first rodeo as a head coach. The success has been there though, especially after taking over a program with a ton of issues.

The coaching journey of Dickert has been a crazy one. Despite playing wide receiver in college, he has a defensive background. Dickert has worked at the FBS, FCS, Division II, and Division III levels of college football. To say he has been everywhere would be an understatement.

According to Feldman, the players love him, something Michigan State likely could use right now.

“Dickert’s players credit him for bringing structure and for showing such a passion for both sides of the ball,” Feldman said. “The former defensive coordinator was a college wideout at Wisconsin-Stevens Point.”

Dickert is in his third season with Washington State, sporting a 14-9 record. Heading into Week 5, the Cougars are 4-0 and rank at No. 16 in the country — their highest ranking since Mike Leach and Gardner Minshew were running the offense in Pullman.