Lance Leipold talks about renovations, alignment with administration
Lance Leipold talked about several topics including his name mentioned for other job openings and the upcoming stadium renovations.
He appeared on the RJ Young show and was asked about being linked to other jobs in college football. It has been a long time since Kansas had a coach who had his name thrown on multiple lists by the national media.
“If you win enough games, they talk about you for every job, and if you don't, they talk about you now until the season starts that you're on the hot seat to get fired,” Leipold said. “So, I don't know what the guys that get to stay in the middle, but it's flattering.”
Leipold has guided Kansas to back-to-back bowl games that has only happened twice in school history. In the last month he has been talked about for jobs at Texas A&M, Washington and Michigan. He believes the fit is in Lawrence.
“I think there's still many things that we can do here, and I think the job fit us from the day we arrived and the challenge and how we go about it,” Leipold said. “And I think our players have embraced it, like I said, administratively and our fan base have welcomed my wife and I and our family and we're happy sometimes that's what it should be about.”
The college football landscape has changed with coaches moving for other jobs and combined with NIL and the transfer portal, it is a different situation than ever before.
“As we tell our players in today's world of portal and opportunities and NIL, is that if we make all our decisions strictly based on money and transactional relationships, I don't know if we'll ever be fulfilled or happy,” Leipold said. “And if I'm going to say that to our players. I better make sure I'm walking that walk myself.”
KU announced this week the 2024 football schedule will see the first two games at Children’s Mercy Park followed by the next at Arrowhead Stadium.
The games will be played off-campus since David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium is undergoing renovations.
“Our administration has done a great job and moved very quickly and the renovation and tear down of a part of David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium,” he said. “And really to keep that project on schedule, as we know that can be a balancing act and it's a tight timeline. So, to get ready even for the 2025 season, just made the decision and we've had two great partners at two different places. It'll be unique, but I think it's one that our players are really excited about.”
Young asked Leipold about the renovations and the original price tag of $300 million. It shows the momentum from donors and administration around the football program.
“What I found out upon my arrival is we’ve got a lot of passionate people that have been starving for some success on the football field, as well as supporting our basketball program and our other sports,” Leipold said. “Once were able to give them a taste of success, I think things accelerated. I think for a long time through past administration and coaches, it's always been acknowledged that the stadium needed work and there are things that needed to be updated.”
Leipold has worked closely with athletic director Travis Goff and chancellor Doug Girod. He complemented them for making the renovations a reality.
“The energy and leadership of Travis Goff as athletic director and our chancellor Doug Girod, I think it's the best alignment I've ever been a part of,” Leipold said. “You mentioned about 300 million. I think we'll hit even far north of that when the whole project of what's going to be done is completed. And I think it's really going to give us a chance to keep this thing on firm footing and build it for years to come.”