Why Andy Kotelnicki returned to KU Jayhawks football, where he’ll call the plays
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Kotelnicki chose Kansas after weighing other opportunities for family, fit and impact
- He returns as associate head coach and will call the plays
- Kansas seeks offensive resurgence and momentum under Leipold
Andy Kotelnicki had his share of job opportunities to sift through this offseason.
Kotelnicki, 45, was Penn State’s offensive coordinator for the past two seasons but parted ways with PSU when the Nittany Lions fired head football coach James Franklin.
Instead of exploring an altogether new opportunity, Kotelnicki, the Kansas Jayhawks’ former offensive coordinator/associate head coach, decided to return to Lawrence, where he’ll again be KU’s associate head coach alongside head coach Lance Leipold.
“We had some opportunities,” Kotelnicki said. “It’s really flattering the number of people I got to talk to and interest that I received. I had to actually sit down and say to myself, ‘What do I want?’ Because I was in a situation, a unique situation, (where) I could probably be a little picky.”
Leipold, who remained close with Kotelnicki during the latter’s two years away, reached out to his former assistant coach at season’s end. Leipold told Kotelnicki that he would be very interested in finding a role for him on his staff for 2026.
It’s not like Kotelnicki didn’t have other options. A source close to the situation confirmed Kotelnicki had the opportunity to be Stanford’s offensive coordinator or co-offensive coordinator at SEC powerhouse Alabama. He was linked to several other jobs, too.
So, why KU? Pretty simple: The Jayhawks checked all the boxes for when Kotelnicki made a list of things he wanted from his next gig.
He said first on that list was finding a place where his family, his wife and kids, would be happy in terms of schools and sports. Secondly, he wanted to go someplace where his quality of life, including the people he’d work with daily, was good.
Finally, he said, he wanted to land where he could make an impact. He wanted to be surrounded by “high-capacity” coaches who loved coaching and players who wanted to improve daily.
“This is the place that checked all those boxes in spades,” Kotelnicki said. “I’m very excited to be back.”
Things figure to be a little bit different this time, of course. He isn’t Kansas’ offensive coordinator, but he will be calling the plays. Former offensive coordinator Jim Zebrowkski is KU’s passing game coordinator now.
The relationship between the pair is a close one, and Zebrowski will continue to work with KU’s quarterbacks.
“It was like riding a bike,” Kotelnicki said. “I’m telling you, it was awesome. And (having a smooth) transition was a concern because I think Jim brings out the best in me, and I think I bring out the best in him. I think we complement each other so well, his style and my style and bouncing back and forth.”
KU has also seen a notable facilities upgrade since Kotelnicki left Lawrence in December 2023. Phase II of the university’s Gateway Project is underway and David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium — the Jayhawks’ homefield venue — is seeing massive renovations.
Kotelnicki called what KU has now “a top-10 facility in the country.”
He arrives at a important time for the program. The Jayhawks finished the 2025 season 5-7, failing to make a bowl game for the second straight year. In fact, KU hasn’t played in a bowl since Kotelnicki’s last season with the team.
But he’s back now. And that in itself can be considered a win.
“The thing that I’m excited about with Andy is that people want to come back to Kansas,” Leipold said. “We walked into a program where people couldn’t wait to get out of here faster enough … and we have (also) changed the expectations in this program. And now they’re harder to match, and we have to match them, and we will match them. And we understand that part of that success has changed how we go about things.”
Kotelnicki will get his chance to restore KU’s offense to its higher-flying ways. He helped guide the Jayhawks to a No. 21 overall ranking in points scored in 2023 despite the fact that KU used three different quarterbacks because of injuries.
On a personal note, this new job will also give Kotelnicki an opportunity to bounce back from a difficult 2025 season. Franklin was fired during the middle of the season after making the College Football Playoff the year before. And the Nittany Lions’ offense took a major step backward last fall, ranking No. 83 in total offense after ranking No. 26 in 2024.
But the past is old news around Lawrence this week. A good couple of seasons at Kansas might help Kotelnicki realize his dream of one day becoming a head coach.
Not that there’s any rush on that, at least for now.
“It’s a goal of mine,” Kotelnicki said. “I’ve talked about that before. But I’ve learned that fit and timing and being in the right spot is the most important thing, not your title.”
