The Harsh Reality: Kansas Football Has Plateaued Under Lance Leipold

The Kansas football program has now lost 17 consecutive games to its in-state rival, the Kansas State Wildcats. Five of those have come under head coach Lance Leipold.

The Jayhawks dropped to 4-4 on the season this afternoon, and even with what should be the easiest game remaining on the schedule next week against a depleted Oklahoma State squad, the team could be in jeopardy of missing bowl eligibility for the second straight year.

Nobody can deny what Leipold has done for the program, as he built up one of the worst schools in Power 5 football from the abyss. He is undoubtedly one of the sport's best program builders and deserves all the credit in the world for that.

But over the past two years, KU has massively underperformed on the field and can never seem to find ways to win big games. Let's be honest — Lance Leipold's job could and should be on the hot seat after this season.

Is Lance Leipold's Job Actually Secure?

It is obvious how much people around the program love Leipold. He has built the groundwork for Kansas to succeed, and it really seemed like there would be more progress after a terrific 9-4 season in 2023.

But since then, the Jayhawks have not played up to par. They entered last year projected to finish in the top five of the Big 12 and potentially compete for a conference championship.

Instead, KU lost in some of the most unimaginable ways, and even a late-season surge couldn't earn a bowl bid. It was the most highly anticipated Kansas football season in 17 years, and Leipold failed to deliver.

Some fans excused last year's late-game collapses as bad luck, but after repeated special teams blunders and sloppy execution, that excuse no longer holds. For context, the Jayhawks are now 2-8 in their last 10 one-score games under Leipold and 26-32 overall in a little less than five years at the helm.

Sep 6, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Lance Leipold reacts during the first half against the Missouri Tigers at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The Jayhawk faithful entered this season with renewed confidence in their head coach, but he is proving that last year wasn't just an anomaly. Kansas is now sitting at .500 and was completely outplayed on both sides of the ball today.

Leipold has also faced criticism for his conservative in-game approach. Too often, Kansas seems to play not to lose rather than to win, a mindset that has cost the Jayhawks in several late-game situations.

Sure, he brought Kansas back from irrelevance, but can he actually elevate it beyond mediocrity?

Leipold makes just over $7 million per year, and his buyout at roughly $23 million for a firing without cause makes it unlikely that Athletic Director Travis Goff will act quickly.

That is a lot of money for a coach who hasn't been able to produce in back-to-back seasons despite having the roster to do it. For reference, one of the best coaches in the conference, Texas Tech's Joey McGuire, makes a little over $4 million per year.

That number will rise with an extension, but it shows how many good coaches in college football make far less than Leipold.

Kansas is pouring historic amounts of money into football just to be a middling team in the conference. This hefty investment is for a football program still struggling for relevance in a basketball-first school.

And now, after losing 17 straight games to the in-state rival, it is apparent the football program is farther off than many thought two years ago. If Leipold isn't already on the hot seat, another lost season might finally ignite his departure.