Why Wisconsin might have just become the biggest threat to the future of Kansas football | Tale of the Tait

I do know there are numerous Kansas followers on the market who’re uninterested in listening to concerning the Nebraska job opening and whether or not Lance Leipold is perhaps a candidate there in some unspecified time in the future.

I additionally know that Leipold, on a number of events now, has stated he and his household are joyful in Lawrence and plan on being right here for a very long time.

And whereas that definitely seems to be true right this moment and would possibly very effectively wind up staying that method for a very long time, the panorama modified in a reasonably vital method on Sunday, and, prefer it or not, we have now to have a look.

The Wisconsin teaching job is now open, and, as was the case when the Nebraska job opened up after the firing of Scott Frost final month, Leipold’s title was instantly tossed out as an choice for the Badgers of their upcoming search to discover a alternative for fired coach Paul Chryst.

Uh oh.

There have been (and nonetheless are) a number of causes that Leipold being linked to the Nebraska job made sense. There are much more causes he is smart at Wisconsin.

That, after all, doesn’t imply that he’s gone. But it surely does imply that it is a state of affairs value monitoring and it probably will stay that method for the subsequent couple of months.

I haven’t sensed a lot concern or fear about Leipold leaving Kansas from the powers that be within the KU athletic division in the course of the previous few weeks. I believe the idea on the within has at all times been that they will and can do sufficient to encourage Leipold to remain proper the place he’s for years to return.

However I think this Wisconsin information has at the very least began to make just a few KU directors somewhat nervous.

Listed below are the info. Leipold is a Wisconsin native — from a city referred to as Jefferson — and he loved a tremendous run of success at Division III Wisconsin-Whitewater, the place he received six nationwide titles as a head coach and in addition performed quarterback from 1983-86.

He began his teaching profession at his alma mater after which went on to spend three years with the Badgers as a graduate assistant from 1991 to 1993.

That each one occurred a very long time in the past, after all, however there’s no disputing that Leipold’s Wisconsin roots have at all times performed an enormous position in the way in which he coaches, how he lives his life and the way he builds his applications.

One would assume that getting the chance to teach soccer at his house state’s flagship faculty — within the Huge Ten Convention, no much less — could be awfully interesting to him.

Whether it is Leipold that Wisconsin chooses to pursue, there shall be large {dollars} concerned, each by way of the wage they provide and the greenback indicators dancing in a single’s eyes from the college’s standing as part of the Huge Ten. That might be onerous to beat. And that’s true at Nebraska, as effectively.

I do assume KU would get as inventive as doable with a view to entice Leipold to remain. A increase could be a given. As a few years as Leipold needs on his contract additionally might be in play. And it could make sense to load up any new contract with all types of retention bonuses and achievement compensation, simply to sweeten the pot as a lot as doable.

Past that, KU must each present and persuade Leipold {that a} severe stadium renovation is coming quickly.

Leipold’s present contract with Kansas, which encompasses a $5 million buyout owed to the college if Leipold have been to go away, is strong.

Not solely was he given a 6-year deal value a complete of $16.5 million when he signed on with the Jayhawks within the spring of 2021, however the faculty even added a yr to his deal — together with more cash — earlier than the primary recreation of the present season.

After KU’s red-hot 5-0 begin, although, and given what Leipold already has been in a position to present as a grasp rebuilder at Kansas, it appears protected to say that KU officers completely could be prepared to attract up a model new deal to maintain Leipold on the town for a protracted, very long time.

The guess right here is that KU want to get a brand new deal achieved with Leipold instantly. Yesterday, the truth is. Final week even. As quickly as humanly doable.

However it is a enterprise we’re speaking about, and as a lot as Leipold is a soccer coach by way of and thru, he has folks round him who’re effectively versed in dealing with the enterprise calls for of being a school soccer coach. In a state of affairs like this one, the place your consumer is rapidly changing into one of many hottest commodities within the sport, it makes essentially the most enterprise sense to attend to make any sort of transfer.

In order that’s probably what is going to occur.

Leipold will go on teaching up the Jayhawks, making an attempt to keep away from these kinds of distractions and dealing as onerous as doable to ship extra wins to Lawrence and get Kansas again right into a bowl recreation for the primary time because the 2008 season.

In the meantime, the rumor mill will proceed to churn, Leipold will stay linked to the Nebraska and Wisconsin jobs and possibly will wind up on just a few different lists, as effectively.

None of these different faculties ought to fear Kansas followers. And, at this level, I’m not even all that positive that Nebraska ought to. However Wisconsin’s a special animal. So these of you who need to maintain Leipold in Lawrence could be sensible to root like loopy for Wisconsin’s interim head coach, Jim Leonhard, to win large in the course of the subsequent couple of months.

If he does that, it could be extremely probably for Leonhard to grow to be the highest title within the Wisconsin teaching search, even perhaps a lock to get the job. Leonhard performed at Wisconsin within the early 2000s, Badger followers already love him and he has been an assistant coach there since 2016.

Enjoyable reality: Leonhard’s title got here up briefly in the course of the previous two Kansas soccer teaching searches.

So, there you’ve got the newest model of success bringing an entire different set of issues for the Kansas soccer program.

For the previous 12 or 13 years, it was successful that was the most important problem at KU. Now that the successful has returned, plainly the person behind it has grow to be an awfully fashionable title in faculty soccer teaching circles. Go determine.

For those who’re the silver lining kind, and also you’re searching for one right here, it’s that the entire greatest challengers to steal Leipold from KU seem like surfacing on the similar time.

Put one other method: If Leipold stays at KU whereas head teaching jobs have been open at each Nebraska and Wisconsin, it probably would imply he’ll be right here till he’s achieved teaching.

Time will inform how all this shakes out. Within the meantime, do not forget that No. 19 Kansas will play host to No. 17 TCU at 11 a.m. Saturday, with ESPN’s Faculty Gameday in Lawrence for a soccer recreation for the primary time in historical past.

A win would make the Jayhawks bowl eligible for the primary time since 2008 and maintain alive probably the greatest tales in all of faculty soccer this season.

Sheesh. Discuss sensory overload for Kansas soccer.