Lance Leipold - Football - Kansas Jayhawks

Lance Leipold

TITLE Head Coach
PHONE 864-3392

Bio

Follow Coach Leipold

Lance Leipold, a six-time National Champion, a five-time conference coach of the year and the fastest coach in NCAA history to reach 100 career wins, was named the 41st head coach in Kansas Football history on April 30, 2021.

Leipold’s track record as a program builder showed itself early in his time in Lawrence, leading the Jayhawks to back-to-back bowl games in 2022 and 2023, a feat that has only been done in Lawrence once in program history. Leipold has guided Kansas to its first-ever program win in Austin, Texas in 2021, followed by Kansas’ first-ever win over West Virginia in Morgantown in 2022 and a win over #6 Oklahoma in 2023. In just his second year at the helm, Leipold helped Kansas to secure its first bowl eligibility with a win over No. 18 Oklahoma State on November 5, 2022, giving Kansas its first bowl berth since 2008. Kansas’ ranked win was the first since 2010, snapping a 44-game losing streak to AP ranked opponents, while it was Kansas’s first ranked win against a conference opponent at home since 2005.

Leipold has engineered Kansas to one of the greatest stories in college football, guiding Kansas to its first national rankings in 675 weeks, hosting ESPN’s College Gameday for the first time in program history on October 8, 2022, hosting FOX Big Noon Kickoff for the first time on Oct. 28, 2023, and earning Kansas’ first-ever ranking in the College Football Playoff Ranking on Oct. 31, 2023.

Leipold arrived at Kansas after a successful six-year stay at Buffalo, where in his final three seasons, he posted three straight winning seasons for the first time in 20 years. He won 24 games over the final three seasons, which included a seven-game shortened-season schedule in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, marking the most successful three-year run in Buffalo history.

A proven winner with a strong track record for player development, Leipold served as the head coach at Wisconsin-Whitewater for eight seasons from 2007 to 2014, capturing six NCAA Division III national championships and tallying an astounding record of 109-6.

After taking over a rebuilding Buffalo program that went 7-17 in his first two seasons, Leipold put together a record of 30-16 over his final four seasons, including three bowl appearances and two bowl victories with the Bulls.

Leipold had a 2020 season at Buffalo that brought unprecedented success to the program. The Bulls went a perfect 5-0 in the regular season and won the MAC East Division title for the second-straight year. Leipold’s squad also beat Marshall in the Camellia Bowl for the program’s second ever bowl win and second in as many years.

Buffalo also appeared in the Associated Press Top 25 at No. 24 on December 6, 2020, marking the first-time in school history the Bulls appeared in the national rankings. The team finished the season ranked 25th in both the AP poll and the Amway Coaches Poll. Leipold was named the MAC Coach of the Year for the second time in his career after the record-breaking season.

Showcasing his pristine reputation for player development and a keen eye for recruiting, Buffalo tied a school-record with 12 All-MAC selections in 2020, all of whom were recruited by Leipold. Running back Jaret Patterson led the way, rushing for 1,072 yards in just six games, including a 409-yard performance against Kent State, which is the second-best performance in FBS history.

Patterson was named the winner of the Vern Smith Leadership Award, given to the MVP of the MAC and was also named the MAC Offensive Player of the Year under Leipold’s tutelage.

Buffalo also had 12 all-conference players in 2019, a season that culminated in the school’s first-ever bowl victory – a 31-9 win over Charlotte in the Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl. The 2019 team featured one of the best defenses in the school’s history. Buffalo ranked seventh nationally in total defense, allowing 291.9 yards per game. The Bulls were also fourth nationally against the run, allowing 94.2 yards per game.

In 2018, Buffalo won 10 games in a season for the first time ever in program history. Leipold’s team went 7-1 in MAC play and won the East Division title. The Bulls also won 42-13 at Rutgers, marking the school’s first-ever win over a Power 5 opponent. He was named the MAC Coach of the Year and was also a semifinalist for the George Munger College Coach of the Year Award.

In that 2018 season, the Buffalo offense had a record-breaking season. Buffalo scored 484 points, 64 touchdowns and totaled 5,803 yards of total offense, establishing new school records in each category. Quarterback Tyree Jackson was named the MAC Offensive Player of the Year, while Patterson earned MAC Freshman of the Year honors.

In Leipold’s third season in 2017, the Bulls gained bowl eligibility for just the third time as an FBS program. The Bulls offense averaged 432 yards per game and led the conference in passing yards per game at 291. Showing an ability for explosive plays, Buffalo produced 20 plays of 45 or more yards on the season.

Leipold became the head coach at Buffalo in December of 2014 after a triumphant career as the head coach at Wisconsin-Whitewater, which saw him earn six National Coach of the Year awards. In his first season there in 2007, the Warhawks went 14-1 and won the Division III national championship. In 2008, the team made it back to the title game and fell to Mount Union.

Wisconsin-Whitewater then went 45-0 over the next three seasons, winning three straight national championships. After a 7-3 campaign in 2012, Whitewater went 30-0 combined in 2013 and 2014 winning two more national titles with Leipold at the helm.

During his time there, Warhawk players totaled 56 All-America honors, with running back Justin Beaver winning the Gagliardi Trophy as the top player in Division III. Brent Allen won the Division III Rimington Award as the top center. Running back Levell Coppage earned D3Football.com Offensive Player of the Year honors, while Cole Klotz won those honors on the defensive side.

Leipold, a native of Jefferson, Wisconsin, began his coaching career at Whitewater in 1987 as a quarterbacks coach. He moved to the University of Wisconsin in 1991, where he served as a graduate assistant for Barry Alvarez for three seasons and helped the Badgers win a Big Ten title and a Rose Bowl appearance in 1993.

He then served as an assistant coach at Division II Nebraska-Omaha from 1994-2000, helping the Mavericks become three-time conference champions. He was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2000, before moving on to Nebraska where he worked for Frank Solich for four seasons. He then returned to Nebraska-Omaha for three years as the associate head coach and offensive coordinator, before moving on to Wisconsin-Whitewater in 2007.

Leipold is a 1987 graduate of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he was a standout quarterback.

Leipold and his wife Kelly, have a daughter, Lindsey, and a son, Landon.

The Leipold File
Alma Mater: Wisconsin-Whitewater , 1987, B.A. in Sociology; Wisconsin-Whitewater, 1991, Masters of Education in Guidance and Counseling
Wife: Kelly
Children: Lindsey and Landon

YearsUniversityRole
2021-PresentKansasHead Coach
2015-2021BuffaloHead Coach
2007-2014 Wisconsin-Whitewater Head Coach
2004-2006Nebraska-Omaha Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator
2001-2003NebraskaAdministrative Assistant/Recruiting
1994-2000Nebraska-OmahaAssistant Coach
1991-1993Wisconsin Graduate Assistant
1990Wisconsin-WhitewaterAssistant Coach
1989DoaneAssistant Coach
1988Wisconsin-WhitewaterWide Receivers
1987Wisconsin-WhitewaterQuarterbacks

YearsBowlRole
2023Guaranteed Rate BowlHead Coach
2022AutoZone Liberty BowlHead Coach
2020Camelia BowlHead Coach
2019Bahamas BowlHead Coach
2018Dollar General BowlHead Coach
2003Alamo BowlAssistant
2002Independence BowlAssistant
2001Rose BowlAssistant
1994Rose BowlAssistant

YearsPlayoff Appearances
2014Wisconsin-Whitewater (Head Coach)
2013Wisconsin-Whitewater (Head Coach)
2011Wisconsin-Whitewater (Head Coach)
2010Wisconsin-Whitewater (Head Coach)
2009Wisconsin-Whitewater (Head Coach)
2008Wisconsin-Whitewater (Head Coach)
2007Wisconsin-Whitewater (Head Coach)
2006Nebraska-Omaha (Assistant)
2005Nebraska-Omaha (Assistant)
2000Nebraska-Omaha (Assistant)
1998Nebraska-Omaha (Assistant)
1996Nebraska-Omaha (Assistant)
1990Wisconsin-Whitewater (Assistant)
1988Wisconsin-Whitewater (Assistant)
Men's Basketball 🎙 Jayhawker Podcast with Lance Leipold

Today on the Jayhawker we're talking Kansas Football on Signing Day with Head Coach Lance Leipold. Plus, Greg Gurley and Wayne Simien break down a big week for the Jayhawks MBB team with wins over Kentucky and Kansas State.

Football Inside the First 72 Hours with Kansas Football Head Coach Lance Leipold

When Lance Leipold was preparing for life after college, he had two career paths he was interested in pursuing. He was either going to get into law enforcement with an eye on joining the Secret Service or stick with what he knew — football.