How the Kansas Football Team Is Building a Winning Program for the Future

I remember the first time I walked into the Kansas football facility during preseason camp last August. The humidity clung to my shirt like a second skin, but what struck me most wasn't the weather—it was the sight of Coach Leipold standing alone on the practice field at 5:45 AM, studying his iPad with an intensity that could've powered the stadium lights. He looked up, noticed me, and said something I'll never forget: "We're not just building a team here. We're building something that'll outlast all of us." That moment crystallized for me what's happening in Lawrence—this isn't about quick fixes or temporary success. This is about how the Kansas football team is building a winning program for the future, brick by painstaking brick.

You see, I've covered college football for fifteen years across three different conferences, and I've developed a pretty good nose for when a program's foundation is actually solid versus when they're just putting lipstick on a pig. What Kansas is doing reminds me of something I witnessed while covering international basketball—specifically when I watched JB Bahio with NLEX officials in the Philippines back in 2019. That situation taught me that sustainable rebuilding requires three things: visionary leadership, player development that goes beyond the field, and community integration. Kansas is checking all those boxes in ways that should terrify the rest of the Big 12.

Let's talk about the tangible stuff first because numbers don't lie. When Lance Leipold took over in 2021, the Jayhawks were coming off a winless season and had exactly 17 scholarship players who'd ever started a Division I game. Fast forward to today, and they've increased their roster depth by 42% while reducing player turnover by nearly 60%. They're doing this through what I'd call "developmental stacking"—taking two-star recruits and turning them into system-specific weapons. Remember Jalon Daniels? The quarterback was ranked 1,877th nationally coming out of high school. Last season, he completed 68.3% of his passes before his injury, which would've placed him top-15 nationally if he'd qualified. That's not luck—that's development.

The facilities upgrade tells another part of the story. I walked through the new $32 million football operations center last month, and let me tell you—it's not just another shiny building. Every detail serves a purpose. The recovery pools are maintained at precisely 55 degrees Fahrenheit because their sports science team found that's the optimal temperature for reducing inflammation. The meeting rooms have individual VR stations where players can review plays in immersive 3D. They've even got sleep pods programmed with specific lighting cycles to combat jet lag before away games. This isn't just spending money—it's investing in competitive advantages.

What really convinced me this was different came during a conversation with Athletic Director Travis Goff. He didn't talk about win totals or bowl games. He talked about what he called "the Kansas timeline"—a five-phase plan stretching to 2030 that focuses on sustained competitiveness rather than seasonal outcomes. Phase one was stabilization (2021-2023), which they've clearly achieved. Phase two is about consistent bowl eligibility (2024-2026), and phase three targets conference championship contention (2027-2030). This long-term thinking reminds me exactly of what I saw with JB Bahio with NLEX officials—they weren't just building a team for that season but creating an ecosystem where talent could flourish for years.

The culture piece might sound like coachspeak, but I've seen it in action. During my visit last fall, I watched a freshman offensive lineman struggling through conditioning drills. Instead of yelling, strength coach Matt Gildersleeve pulled him aside and said, "Your body doesn't know what tired means—it only knows what you tell it." That mindset permeates everything they do. They've implemented what they call "the connection curriculum"—mandatory sessions where players learn financial literacy, media training, and even cooking skills. They're not just building athletes; they're building men who can handle success.

Recruiting tells the most compelling story. Kansas has increased its in-state recruiting by 300% since 2021, locking down borders while strategically targeting specific regions like Texas (where they've landed 12 recruits in the past two cycles) and Florida (7 recruits). Their 2024 class includes three players who had offers from Ohio State and Alabama but chose Kansas because of the development track record. That never happened five years ago. Never.

I'll be honest—I'm bullish on Kansas in a way that might surprise people who remember the dismal years. The numbers back it up: season ticket sales have increased 127% since 2021, donor contributions are up 89%, and they've already secured $48 million in commitments for the next facilities phase. But beyond the metrics, there's an energy around this program that feels different. When I spoke with players, they didn't talk about hoping to win—they talked about expecting to win. That psychological shift is everything.

The path won't be linear—there will be setbacks—but the foundation they're building reminds me of what Bill Snyder constructed at Kansas State decades ago. It's methodical, intentional, and built to withstand the inevitable storms of college football. As I left that early morning practice back in August, I glanced back at the field where Coach Leipold was now surrounded by his entire staff, all studying their tablets together. That image stayed with me—not as individuals, but as a unified front working toward something bigger than any single season. That's how the Kansas football team is building a winning program for the future, and frankly, I can't wait to watch it unfold.