Michigan State football: Ranking head coaching candidates after Week 6

Michigan State football: Power ranking head coaching candidates after Week 6

LAWRENCE, KANSAS - SEPTEMBER 1: Head coach Lance Leipold of the Kansas Jayhawks runs out the the field with his team prior to a game against the Missouri State Bears at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium on September 1, 2023 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) /

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Sep 23, 2023; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Lance Leipold reacts during the first half against the Brigham Young Cougars at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports /

A guy that has shot up my list after I was originally hesitant to put any thought into him as the next head coach, Lance Leipold is starting to look like a star in the coaching world.

When you look at his resume, you can’t help but be intrigued by what he brings to the table.

Leipold’s head coaching career started at Wisconsin-Whitewater where he won six Division III national titles in eight years with a combined 109-6 record. He was hired by Buffalo in 2015 where he turned the program around, going 7-17 in his first two years and then 30-16 over his final four years. He ended his Buffalo career with two straight bowl wins.

Kansas jumped at the opportunity to pry him away from the MAC and he went 2-10 in year one before engineering a bowl berth in year two and now his Jayhawks are 5-1 following a blowout of UCF and they’re ranked No. 23 in the country.

Before Leipold got to Kansas, the Jayhawks had nine total wins in the previous six years. He could legitimately win nine games in 2023.

I don’t care that he’s 59, Leipold is a top-tier head coach.

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