Kansas football coach Lance Leipold to be extended through 2029 season, per reports
LAWRENCE — Kansas football head coach Lance Leipold isn’t going anywhere, per multiple reports.
Although the success the Jayhawks have had this season has come with reports of other programs being interested in hiring Leipold away, like Nebraska, that’s not going to be the case this coaching cycle. According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel and more, Leipold will now be extended through the 2029 season. And at least for now this can end the speculation of what Leipold’s immediate future looks like.
“The new deal is structured to keep Leipold at Kansas for the long-term,” Thamel said in a post Tuesday night on Twitter.
Thamel continued in another: “Leipold is a National Coach of the Year candidate after leading Kansas to bowl eligibility for the first time since 2008. The new deal, combined with $300 million in facility investments announced in Oct., are signs of Kansas' substantial commitment to football moving forward.”
It was just in September that Jayhawks athletic director Travis Goff had announced a one-year extension for Leipold, that would take him through the 2027 season. But that was in part about the timeline Leipold and his staff faced when they took on the rebuild in 2021. This latest extension is a much more intentional commitment to the future of the team with Leipold leading the way.
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Although Kansas went 2-10 last season, this year like Thamel pointed out the Jayhawks are bowl eligible. Heading into their regular season finale against Kansas State, they have an opportunity to pick up a rivalry victory before that first bowl game since 2008 would take place. Winning against the Wildcats, and picking up a win in the bowl game, would put Kansas at 8-5 in a season for the first time since 2008.
"Thank you all who made it a memorable season!" Leipold's wife, Kelly Leipold, tweeted about the fan support at home games recently. "Can’t wait to be back at The Booth next season!"
Kansas football's Twitter account would later post Wednesday that it had agreed to terms on a new contract with Leipold. The tweet described it as both a bold investment and vision geared toward building for sustained success. And it added that the Jayhawks are just getting started with Leipold's tenure.
"Uncommon alignment and a commitment to continuity," Goff tweeted Wednesday, in part. "This is about transforming a program, fanbase and an entire university and community. It’s time for all Jayhawks to join us. Let’s work."
Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.Create a New CopyClose Preview
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas football coach Lance Leipold to be extended through 2029 season
