Goodbye Les, we hardly knew ye...

[pdub]

Can we get Air Bud?

[InfiniteJ]

Tom Herman or STFU.

[InfiniteJ]

$ article

Anyone?

The most viable option for Kansas, based on what we’ve heard from industry sources, is Buffalo’s Lance Leipold. The 56-year-old has strong Midwest ties, knows the Big 12 footprint, and is a proven winner, having won six Division III national titles at Wisconsin-Whitewater. He left for Buffalo, one of the toughest places to win in the FBS, and has won there, too. In his fourth season, the Bulls went 10-4. They are 24-10 over the last three years, and that includes a top-25 finish in 2020. Leipold, a two-time MAC Coach of the Year, keeps finding and developing big-time players. He also spent over a decade coaching in Nebraska and worked three seasons on Frank Solich’s staff with the Cornhuskers.

Nevada’s Jay Norvell also knows the Big 12 very well. He’s been the offensive coordinator at both Nebraska and Oklahoma and was an assistant at Texas and Iowa State. The former Iowa player has also done a very impressive job working with limited resources in the Mountain West. The Wolf Pack are 22-13 over the past three years. The 57-year-old has been in the mix for some other Power 5 jobs and might listen, given his ties to the area.

Army’s Jeff Monken and his offensive system might be very tempting at a place where being conventional seems like too much of an uphill climb. Monken’s option attack has been remarkably efficient. The 53-year-old Illinois native is 43-21 in his last five seasons at Army. In 2018, he led Army to its best season in 60 years. In 2019, his team took No. 7 Michigan to double-overtime before losing 24-21. In 208, Army took No. 5 Oklahoma to OT before losing 28-21 and then beat Houston in the Armed Forces Bowl … by 56 points. Keep in mind the Black Knights had one winning season in the 17 years before he arrived. This is a coach who knows all about turnaround jobs.

A MAC head coach that might draw some interest from Kansas is Ball State’s Mike Neu, 50, who had an amazing season leading the Cardinals to the league title and then whipping San Jose State in a bowl game to earn a top-25 finish. Neu has been at every level of football. He played in the CFL and in the Arena Football League before coaching there. He then was an NFL scout and an assistant with the New Orleans Saints. He also has made some very shrewd hires in Muncie.

Tulane’s Willie Fritz, a former defensive back at Pittsburg State in Kansas, has spent a lot of years in the state. He’s also won a lot of games as a college coach, going 97-47 at Central Missouri, 40-15 at Sam Houston State, 17-7 at Georgia Southern and now has upgraded the Tulane program into respectability. The 60-year-old has been very good everywhere he’s been.

Wyoming’s Craig Bohl is another proven winner with Big 12-area roots. A 62-year-old Nebraska native, who played defensive back for the Cornhuskers and later coached at Nebraska, Bohl spent a decade as the head coach at North Dakota State, where he won three national titles before boosting the Wyoming program. NDSU had gone 2-8 the year before he arrived in Fargo. He’s spent seven years with the Cowboys and is 38-44 but has had three eight-win seasons. They had only had three winning seasons in the prior 14 years.

These coaches are all solid options, especially under the circumstances. None had the cache that Miles had when he was hired, but they’re all more capable at this stage of their career in light of the effort and organization it will take to rebuild.

[NewtonHawk11]

Tom Herman would be really nice. Seems like the guy that would jump ship if something came along if he had any success.

[InfiniteJ]

Obviously I was joking; no way Herman takes the KU job, unless he REALLY wants to try and get back at Texas.

All the names that are being thrown around as potential candidates are nice and all, but for the most part, I don't see how their current jobs aren't better than the KU job...especially since it won't be a one or two-year turnaround job.

[CrimsonNBlue]

Graham Harrell also someone I could get behind.

[NewtonHawk11]

Obviously I was joking; no way Herman takes the KU job, unless he REALLY wants to try and get back at Texas.

All the names that are being thrown around as potential candidates are nice and all, but for the most part, I don't see how their current jobs aren't better than the KU job...especially since it won't be a one or two-year turnaround job.

This part is a little misleading. This program is ready for that next step. It's not going to happen in 2021, but will be showing more by 2022. This program is 10x better now than what it was at the end of 2018. A month before signing day in 2018, Beaty had 1 commit. KU is coming off their best recruiting class ever.

Lance Leipold is being paid $600k at Buffalo. You give him $1.5M and he will jump in a day.

[PhDhawk]

Obviously I was joking; no way Herman takes the KU job, unless he REALLY wants to try and get back at Texas.

All the names that are being thrown around as potential candidates are nice and all, but for the most part, I don't see how their current jobs aren't better than the KU job...especially since it won't be a one or two-year turnaround job.

This part is a little misleading. This program is ready for that next step. It's not going to happen in 2021, but will be showing more by 2022. This program is 10x better now than what it was at the end of 2018. A month before signing day in 2018, Beaty had 1 commit. KU is coming off their best recruiting class ever.

Lance Leipold is being paid $600k at Buffalo. You give him $1.5M and he will jump in a day.

There's going to be some attrition. Switching coaches is a big setback.

[NewtonHawk11]

True. I do think the assistants here are good coaches and are well-respected. And that's what the players care about. They don't deal often enough with head coach, they deal with their position coaches/recruiters. Have to keep a majority of those guys.

Like I mentioned earlier, it is an awful time for this to happen. Really bad.

But the talent and depth is the best it's been in the last 5-7 years.

[holidaysmore]

Ryan Held, could be a dark horse guy. I believe he is from the BV area. Familiar with the Big 12 and has won at just about every place he has been at. Doesn't have the experience other guys have but it doesn't also seem he would be the guy to leave at the first offer that is better than KU.

As crazy as it sounds this job is much more enticing after Leslie. Decent facilities, the back end staff is actually at a Big 12 level and most importantly you are at or close to full schollie numbers. Sure you have an uphill climb to winning but you find the right QB, whether that be on roster or grad transfer that could turn things around real quick.

Of course that also means we have to trust KU to do actually make a competent football hire which I have about .1% faith in.

[CrimsonNBlue]

The glass half full is that the roster truly is better now than before Les arrived and the assistants that can keep a good number of recruits here aren’t following the HC out the door anywhere.

That said, I still think the job is probably the lowest it’s ever been as far as desirability.

[Deleted User 289]

Obviously I was joking; no way Herman takes the KU job, unless he REALLY wants to try and get back at Texas.

All the names that are being thrown around as potential candidates are nice and all, but for the most part, I don't see how their current jobs aren't better than the KU job...especially since it won't be a one or two-year turnaround job.

This part is a little misleading. This program is ready for that next step. It's not going to happen in 2021, but will be showing more by 2022. This program is 10x better now than what it was at the end of 2018. A month before signing day in 2018, Beaty had 1 commit.

Lance Leipold is being paid $600k at Buffalo. You give him $1.5M and he will jump in a day.

Newton the glass is 7/8 full guy...
"This program is 10x better now than what it was at the end of 2018". "KU is coming off their best recruiting class ever".

Gutter the glass is 7/8 empty guy.....
"This program may be in the worst shape it's ever been. Coming off of firing a guy they never should have hired and an 0-9 season, having an AD who very well may be a dead man walking, and a bunch of players who have no idea if they want to stay or go, so it's possible we have to fill the roster with a bunch of Jabronis for next season".

[holidaysmore]

Thinking this through...one of the biggest hold ups maybe what and who will be the AD. Right now, Long is about as close to a dead man walking as can be. He has screwed up just about everything he has done since he arrived here. Donors are not happy with him. So, if I am a prospective HC the first question I am asking is what are you doing with the AD because traditionally HCs are tied to the AD. IF they can't answer that question this jobs 'desirability' went down. A ton.

[NewtonHawk11]

The glass half full is that the roster truly is better now than before Les arrived and the assistants that can keep a good number of recruits here aren’t following the HC out the door anywhere.

That said, I still think the job is probably the lowest it’s ever been as far as desirability.

Probably not that far off. Here's the thing I think is different. In the past, the players were below average and not Big 12 caliber and the money wasn't there for staff and the like.

The players caliber is getting better and the money is there for support staff and assistants.

But right now, the current situation is not ideal. But KU is also not fighting against other openings right now.

[Sparko]

Also, we’ve seen a coach come to Lawrence two straight years and win.

Make Jamey Chadwell at Coastal Carolina a call you have to make too.

I give him what he asks for. My choice.

[PhDhawk]

The glass half full is that the roster truly is better now than before Les arrived and the assistants that can keep a good number of recruits here aren’t following the HC out the door anywhere.

That said, I still think the job is probably the lowest it’s ever been as far as desirability.

With all that said, maybe making an interim into the permanent HC is the best strategy.

Because yes, the Assistants are going to help keep people here THIS year, but if a new HC comes and has his own staff, a lot of those players leave...it's just next year instead of this year.

If we can't get someone we really want, just remove the interim tag from whoever you give the job to.

[CrimsonNBlue]

Chadwell is in the easy to get behind because there’s not a chance in hell category.

[Sparko]

Chadwell is in the easy to get behind because there’s not a chance in hell category.

You make the call though; he is that Al Woolard kind of tough coach. I also think Les had some issues of aging mentally. Kind of wish the school had eased him out last year.

[CrimsonNBlue]

Chadwell is in the easy to get behind because there’s not a chance in hell category.

You make the call though; he is that Al Woolard kind of tough coach. I also think Les had some issues of aging mentally. Kind of wish the school had eased him out last year.

I think that’s fine, but on that note, you also call Eric Bienemy.

As fans, though, we’ll never know if those calls are made unless a former coach sues KU and the search party has to give depositions.

[CrimsonNBlue]

The glass half full is that the roster truly is better now than before Les arrived and the assistants that can keep a good number of recruits here aren’t following the HC out the door anywhere.

That said, I still think the job is probably the lowest it’s ever been as far as desirability.

With all that said, maybe making an interim into the permanent HC is the best strategy.

Because yes, the Assistants are going to help keep people here THIS year, but if a new HC comes and has his own staff, a lot of those players leave...it's just next year instead of this year.

If we can't get someone we really want, just remove the interim tag from whoever you give the job to.

That makes the most sense to me for the immediate future.

In essence, whatever we do needs to be a move to try and keep the small progress from completely crumbling.