Jeff Long visits Colorado on KU jet as football coaching search continues
The University of Kansas’ private jet flew west on Tuesday afternoon, landing in Colorado as KU athletic director Jeff Long continued his search for the Jayhawks’ next football coach.
KU’s N414KU, which took off just after 3 p.m. Tuesday from Lawrence Municipal Airport, landed about an hour later in Colorado Springs, Colo., a source confirmed to The Star. It’s at least possible that Long could have talked to Los Angeles Rams senior offensive assistant Jedd Fisch or Air Force coach Troy Calhoun.
Long returned to the Lawrence airport shortly after 10 p.m. on the KU plane, exiting with two pilots. No other passengers were seen leaving the plane from the public area next to the runway.
The flight landing came after an afternoon of smoke screens and posturing. For any flight labeled as IFR (instrument flight rules), there must be a plan submitted to the FAA. On Tuesday, there was a flight plan submitted for both N412KU and N414KU from Lawrence to Baton Rouge, La., where former LSU coach Les Miles still lives. According to the FAA website, the N412KU tail number has not been assigned to any aircraft, meaning that plane doesn’t exist.
N414KU — KU’s private jet — did take to the air Tuesday afternoon, but not toward a southern destination. The original flight plan was changed, taking the plane west instead to Colorado Springs.
Fisch was UCLA’s interim coach and offensive coordinator last season. He previously was an offensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars and also was quarterbacks coach/receivers coach/pass game coordinator for Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh in 2015-16.
The Rams were in Colorado Springs on Tuesday, practicing in high altitude in preparation for this week’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs. That was before the game was officially moved Tuesday from Mexico City to Los Angeles.
Detroit News reporter Angelique S. Chengelis — the newspaper’s University of Michigan beat writer — reported Tuesday she was hearing KU was considering Fisch for its head-coaching opening.
Calhoun, meanwhile, appears to be at least a possibility. A former Houston Texans offensive coordinator in his 12th season with Air Force, Calhoun took the Falcons to nine bowl games in his first 10 years before seeing some struggles recently; the Falcons were 5-7 in 2017, and this year, they’re 4-6. Calhoun’s contract extension — the financial details are not released because the academy is a non-profit — runs through 2021.
The success Calhoun has had at Air Force could be considered more impressive based on his limitations at an academy school, which means less practice time compared to other programs and also no redshirting of players.
Calhoun was one of five candidates interviewed for KU’s open coaching position when Beaty was hired four years ago, according to a source.
Jesse Newell
Jesse Newell covers University of Kansas athletics for The Star.
This story was originally published November 13, 2018 at 10:17 PM.