Field of 68’s COTY Rankings: Where Did Kansas’ Bill Self Land?

The college basketball outlet Field of 68 released its updated Coach of the Year rankings through the first month of the college basketball season.

Of the 10 coaches selected, longtime Kansas head coach Bill Self slotted in at No. 6 behind TJ Otzelberger, Mark Byington, Dusty May, Tom Izzo, and Tommy Lloyd.

🏆 COACH OF THE YEAR RANKINGS 🏆

Who’s YOUR pick for National Coach of the Year so far? 🫵 ⬇️

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— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) December 10, 2025

Self has guided the Jayhawks to a 7-3 record across 10 games this season. Some of KU's best wins include Tennessee, Missouri, and Syracuse.

Kansas has bounced around the national polls quite a lot, beginning the season ranked No. 19 before eventually falling out of the AP Top 25 entirely. Currently, the Jayhawks sit at No. 19 after a 1-1 week in which they lost to UConn and beat Mizzou.

Statistically, it might not make much sense for Self to rank this high, given the number of losses KU has taken suffered in nonconference play. However, there are important factors that should be considered.

Nov 3, 2025; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self reacts during the first half against the Green Bay Phoenix at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Self coached seven of his team's 10 games without star freshman Darryn Peterson. The projected top-3 NBA Draft pick was sidelined for a month with a hamstring injury, leaving the Jayhawks to adjust and completely change their play style.

During that stretch, Self maximized what he had and put his players in positions to succeed even without their best offensive option. KU went 5-2 in Peterson's absence and played some of its best basketball of the season during a three-game winning streak in the Players Era Festival.

It reignited confidence among the fanbase as Peterson's supporting cast proved it could compete with top programs across the country.

Bill Self Is Back

The Kansas basketball program had been trending downward for a few years during the Hunter Dickinson era. During that span, the Jayhawks lost a combined 24 games across two seasons and were first-weekend exits in March Madness both years.

That raised questions about whether Self, now 62, could fully adapt to today's college basketball landscape with NIL and the transfer portal.

This season is still far from over and plenty can change, but Self has clearly shown a willingness to adjust. He has learned how to coach his team without its top scoring threat and has built an excellent defensive product despite the rest of the roster's offensive limitations.

Many of those improvements also stem from the revamped coaching staff Self assembled in the offseason. He is proving this year that he is nowhere near done on the sidelines despite rumors about retirement.