Kansas football coach Lance Leipold attended an event in Topeka on Tuesday. Here’s more on what he had to say, and what the event meant to him.
TOPEKA — Before Kansas football coach Lance Leipold began to speak at a Topeka Jayhawk Club event on Tuesday, he took some time to reflect on the opportunity to be around those fans.
Leipold, speaking at the Kay McFarland Japanese Garden & Venue in Topeka, noted how everyone there is so excited about the season. He highlighted how loyal they’ve all been to the program over the years. There’s also the added element of everyone looking forward to the team playing inside a new-look David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium this fall.
Leipold sees the momentum the Jayhawks have enjoyed on the recruiting trail since he took over in 2021, as well as the team’s improved play on the field, enthusiasm about the stadium and fans’ ability to track local players, as things that all build upon each other. The event serves as a reminder of that. And he’s looking forward to that momentum continuing ahead of the Aug. 23 home opener against Fresno State in Lawrence.
“I think it continues to build in excitement,” Leipold said, “And, honestly, we need the city of Topeka behind us, and we want it to be a big part of what we do.”
Here are more takeaways from what Leipold had to say:
What has Lance Leipold thought about Kansas football being able to practice inside the stadium?
The progression of fall camp has recently allowed the Jayhawks to practice inside their home stadium again, after construction there led the team to play its home games away from Lawrence in 2024. Leipold described returning to the venue as very fulfilling, considering how much time and effort had gone into making the progress that has occurred possible. When he arrived, there was a hope and a dream that something would be done, and it’s exciting to see it both take place and happen so soon.
Has Lance Leipold gotten what he’s wanted out of the practices inside the stadium?
There’s a bit of an acclimation process Kansas football’s players and staff have to go through in their reimagined stadium, ahead of the opener, and in the practices the Jayhawks have been able to have in there, Leipold outlined they’ve gotten most of what they wanted to get done accomplished. However, there’s still more to be done — such as working with the play clocks.
Leipold did acknowledge coaches have been able to get a better idea of the sight lines they’ll have if they’re not going to be on the field during games, and thinks past experiences at other stadiums — including Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas — can help with that. He also mentioned that in short order, they’ll engage in mock game scenarios, like pregame warmups and halftime processes, to gain further comfort.
As Kansas’ 1st game week nears, how does Lance Leipold feel about the team’s progress?
Leipold said he’s pleased with the attitude and effort the team’s displayed, but noted something they keep emphasizing is that when there are good stretches in practice, they need to be able to sustain those throughout the entirety of the day. Considering how much competition there’s been for playing time, though, he does think they have a chance to be a good team this fall.
How excited is Lance Leipold to see newcomers affect the team this fall?
It’s exciting, from Leipold’s perspective, to see transfers or freshmen come in and be able to be a factor. However, Leipold also highlighted his excitement to see redshirt freshmen who didn’t have key roles last year compete for one this year. He sees Kansas as a developmental program, so there’s always an appreciation for seeing players develop in KU’s system.
How does Lance Leipold feel about the health of his team?
Leipold didn’t name anyone specifically, but did note it’s been up and down of late. It’s tough because it seems like one day they get a player back, and then a teammate has to take time off. Overall, Kansas isn’t as healthy as a team as he’d like it to be right now.
It’s too far out, in Leipold’s mind, to say if anyone not mentioned in the past is going to miss game time. There have been some soft tissue injuries that he said you wish didn’t happen, but can occur during fall camp. Hopefully, they’ll have some guys who’ve been out back in the next week.
Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at [email protected] or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Takeaways from Topeka: Kansas football's Lance Leipold previews season
Category: General Sports
