From rebuilding Kansas to Wembley Stadium: Lance Leipold's remarkable Jayhawk journey

By Simon Carroll

When Lance Leipold accepted the Kansas head coaching job in 2021, few could have imagined where the program would be five years later.

Least of all the man himself.

“Absolutely not,” Leipold admitted when asked whether he envisioned Kansas playing international games, selling out stadiums and competing on one of football’s most iconic stages.

Then came the punchline that perfectly summed up the scale of the rebuild.

“If I’d have known everything, I don’t know if I’d have applied for it.”

Delivered with a smile, it was an honest reflection of just how daunting the challenge was. But today, that challenge has become one of college football’s most impressive success stories.

Changing expectations

Perhaps the clearest indication of Kansas’ transformation isn’t found in wins or losses. It’s found in expectations. When Leipold arrived in Lawrence, simply becoming competitive felt ambitious.

Now, five-win seasons leave everyone frustrated.

Three seasons removed from a nine-win campaign that reignited belief across the program, Kansas finds itself in an unfamiliar position. Supporters expect success.

Leipold welcomes that.

“Expectations change,” he explained.

Rather than resisting the pressure, he believes it demonstrates how far Kansas has travelled. The Jayhawks no longer measure themselves against their own history. Instead, they are measuring themselves against the best teams in the Big 12.

“We want to put ourselves in a better position to compete for a conference championship… and compete to be in the College Football Playoff.”

Those are statements that would have sounded wildly optimistic just a few years ago.

Today, they sound entirely reasonable.

More than wins and losses

Kansas’ progress extends far beyond the football field.

The redevelopment of David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium represents one of the most visible symbols of the programme’s resurgence. Facilities have improved. Recruiting has strengthened. Attendance has surged. And national television exposure has become commonplace.

Leipold rattled off the milestones almost as a reminder of how much has changed; sell-out crowds, College GameDay, and Big Noon Kickoff. Bowl appearances and victories over ranked opponents.

Now, another first awaits – a trip to London for the first college football game played at Wembley Stadium.

Viewed individually, each achievement feels significant. But when you add them all together, they illustrate a programme that has fundamentally altered its national reputation.

Wembley: another milestone

Although Leipold insists his focus remains firmly on Kansas’ opening games before thoughts turn overseas, there is no disguising his excitement.

“Our players are talking about it. Our fans keep talking about it.”

Earlier this year, Leipold travelled to London to inspect the facilities and begin preparations for September’s visit. The thing that impressed him most? The stadium itself.

Calling Wembley iconic hardly feels original, yet Leipold spoke with genuine admiration after seeing it firsthand.

He laughed while recalling groundskeepers meticulously mowing the pitch.

“I’ve never seen three or four mowers out there,” he joked. “It must be millimetres at a time.”

The attention to detail left a lasting impression, and for a coach obsessed with preparation, it was impossible not to appreciate.

Turf trimming jokes aside, Leipold also believes the immaculate natural grass surface should benefit his players. Kansas practices on grass whenever possible, and he expects the footing at Wembley to provide an outstanding playing environment. Considering the scrutiny artificial turf currently gets in the NFL, it will be interesting to hear the player’s thoughts once they’ve finished gracing the famous Wembley surface.

Preparing for more than football

The April visit also allowed Kansas to solve countless logistical questions long before the team boards its flight. Travel routes, practice facilities, daily schedules and traffic patterns were all on the agenda. Every detail matters.

Leipold wants London to feel as familiar as possible once the Jayhawks arrive. The goal is simple; remove distractions and allow players to enjoy the experience while maintaining the same weekly rhythm they would follow before any major game in the United States.

It’s a balance that NFL teams have been trying to achieve when coming to London for close to twenty years. The occasion is unique, but the preparation cannot be.

Preparedness will help the Jayhawks return to Lawrence with a win, but there’s more to the trip to Wembley for Leipold. For their head coach, Kansas isn’t simply participating – it’s helping pioneer something bigger.

“I’m glad we’re on the cutting edge,” he said.

He hopes the Wembley fixture becomes an annual tradition that introduces more college football programmes to British audiences.

For Kansas, being selected reflects the respect the program has earned nationally. International games are opportunities to showcase not only football teams but entire universities, and Leipold understands that responsibility. He wants Kansas to represent itself—and college football—as positively as possible.

“We’re looking forward to getting back and doing everything we can to represent Kansas right.”

The rebuild continues

Despite everything Kansas has achieved, Leipold has little interest in nostalgia. There remains unfinished business.

Rivalry games against Missouri and Kansas State carry enormous significance. The program craves a conference championship push in football similar to those they’ve enjoyed in almost every other sport. And players speak openly about correcting mistakes that cost them victories a year ago.

Nobody inside the building believes the job is complete.

And maybe that unsatisfied mentality explains why Kansas continues to move forward. Success has not created complacency – it has created hunger.

Five years ago, Lance Leipold inherited one of the toughest rebuilding jobs in college football. Today, he leads a nationally respected football program preparing to make history at Wembley Stadium.

Maybe he couldn’t have imagined this journey when he arrived in Lawrence. But after everything Kansas has accomplished under his leadership, showcasing their talents on the biggest stage in Europe somehow feels like the next perfectly logical step.

BE A PART OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL HISTORY

Tickets to watch the Sun Devils against the Jayhawks in the inaugural Union Jack Classic on Saturday September 19 can be purchased now via the Union Jack Classic website

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SIMON CARROLL

Lead Writer, Head of Content

PREVIOUSLY THE FOUNDER OF NFL DRAFT UK, SIMON HAS BEEN COVERING COLLEGE FOOTBALL AND THE NFL DRAFT SINCE 2009. BASED IN MANCHESTER, SIMON IS ALSO CO-CREATOR & WEEKLY GUEST OF THE COLLAPSING POCKET PODCAST, COVERS THE JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS FOR SB NATION and is college football writer for dazn.

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