Kansas football coach Leipold has certain recruiting principles (and 12 new signees)
Kansas football coach Lance Leipold and his staff have a specific way of recruiting players.
No matter the player, Leipold and his staffers strive for consistency and transparency in every conversation.
Their messaging resonated with 13 high school players.
On the first day of the early signing period, 12 signed National Letters of Intent with KU. The only previous commit who remained unsigned was quarterback Kasen Weisman, who decommitted late Wednesday morning.
“It’s not a sales job ...” Leipold said Wednesday. ”We’re here to get players to pick a place for an education and a great opportunity to play college football at the power five level.
Being honest throughout the recruiting process has paid dividends for Kansas.
“The nice thing about it is when you hear a family talk about the genuineness of your staff, and that’s where you know there is not a rehearsed answer,” Leipold said. “... People can tell what’s rehearsed and what’s not a lot better than ever before. A lot of times that helps balance the equation for programs like us.”
When KU wants a recruit, the Jayhawks coaches aren’t shy about letting the player know.
“We tell people, ‘You’re going to be able to do something special here,” Leipold said. “You’re going to do things that haven’t been done in a long time. It’s going to take a special guy that wants to do it.’ ”
Honesty and transparency aren’t the only aspects of Kansas’ recruiting, of course. Leipold knows how much the recruiting space has changed over the years.
Things like NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) or the Jayhawks’ new stadium project could be the deciding factor for a particular player. So recruiting visits aren’t just about playing time and how great of a school KU is overall.
“I think they all (NIL and KU’s new stadium) are all pieces that continue to stack on top,” Leipold said. “NIL is huge. …We need to continue to get better at it and we are. … It’s not something you don’t hope comes up in conversation. You can’t — you’ve got to start talking about opportunities and plans within the rules of which we can do.”
During visits, players typically don’t directly ask Leipold about amenities and resources KU can offer. But he emphasizes to recruits that he will do anything to make their lives easier if they commit to the Jayhawks.
Besides the amenities and resources KU can offer, the program has finally started to win. The Jayhawks (6-6, 3-5 Big 12) are headed to their first bowl appearance since 2008. And that, too, has paid dividends on the recruiting trail.
“Playing well in the state of Texas in back-to-back weeks has definitely helped us,” Leipold said. “You’ve got Upper Midwest guys that are coming to Kansas that (usually) are going down to Texas for the most part.”
Ultimately, like all schools, the KU staff recruits players who will help advance the program and culture.
“If you’d like to go to a place that’s kind of paved for you and you like smooth roads... you can do that,” Leipold said. “At the same time, if you want to be part of something that you’re going to be able to talk about when you are closer to my age and be darn proud of, those are the guys we want.”
Will Jason Bean return? Unlikely
KU still has two quarterbacks listed on the depth chart: starter Jalon Daniels and backup Jason Bean.
Bean has another season available as a “super-senior,” if he wants it, but Leipold said he is leaning toward leaving. Bean started four games this season as Daniel sat out with a shoulder injury. During that span, Bean threw for 973 yards and 10 touchdowns.
“Jason went through Senior Day and is trending toward moving on ...” Leipold said. ”I’d love to have Jason back, but he’s heavy in that direction now.”
This story was originally published December 21, 2022 at 5:52 PM.
