Kansas is often synonymous with basketball, nevertheless it’s the Jayhawks soccer staff that has been surprisingly within the highlight this fall.

Off to a 5-1 begin, and its solely loss coming in an in depth 38-31 contest towards ranked Large 12 rival TCU, Kansas has raised its profile thanks partly to educate Lance Leipold.

And when a coach finds success with an unsuspecting program, the teaching rumors ramp up.

Sports activities Illustrated requested the 58-year-old Leipold how he handles being linked to different head teaching openings within the sport, which at the moment embody Nebraska, Wisconsin and Arizona State.

“I don’t discuss to [the players] a lot about it as a result of, dang, it’s early within the yr to try to try this. We’re actually completely satisfied right here. At my age, different individuals may see this as a stepping stone right now; that’s by no means the plan,” Leipold instructed SI on the night earlier than this previous Saturday’s conflict towards TCU. “We’re extraordinarily completely satisfied being targeted on that, identical to we wish them to be targeted and eliminating distractions, I feel we do, as nicely.

“There’s nothing to [distractions], so why spend time on them right now? And if it must get into an extra dialog down the highway, you take care of it then. It simply so occurs that two jobs opened the place I’ve lived nearly all of my life, sadly. No person’s mentioning Colorado or Arizona State, or one thing like that, or Georgia Tech. That’s the place to me, let’s let the children get pleasure from what they’re doing.”

It’s clear why Leipold is in demand. His Kansas staff sports activities a singular offense and pushed TCU regardless of Jayhawks beginning quarterback Jalon Daniels leaving the sport with a shoulder harm late within the first half.

Given Leipold’s teaching historical past, he could possibly be a gorgeous rent at Nebraska or Wisconsin. Throughout his profession up till 2015, he was a lifer in these two states. He’s a Wisconsin native who performed at Division III Wisconsin-Whitewater. He served as a Wisconsin-Whitewater assistant in two separate stints after which as head coach—when all he did was win six nationwide titles. He additionally spent a decade at Nebraska-Omaha sandwiched round a three-year run as a Cornhuskers assistant.

Sources instructed SI that Leipold’s identify has been linked strongly to Wisconsin, which is at the moment being led by interim coach Jim Leonhard. Mickey Joseph (Nebraska), Shaun Aguano (ASU), Brent Key (Georgia Tech) and Mike Sanford (Colorado) are below interim standing with their respective packages, whereas Bryan Harsin is below fireplace at Auburn, seemingly hanging by a thread amid sturdy requires his dismissal from boosters.

Leipold is in his second season with Kansas after 5 seasons as head coach with Buffalo. The 5-1 begin is an enormous turnaround from the 2-10 file throughout Leipold’s inaugural season with the Jayhawks. 

Extra Faculty Soccer Protection:

Blue Wings Rising: Tiers beginning to solidify – Large 12 Energy Rankings

For extra Kansas Jayhawks protection, go to Blue Wings Rising.