Jayhawks eager to practice again
Kansas football head coach Les Miles wears a mask while walking around during an early August practice in the team's indoor facility. by Photo courtesy of KU Athletics
On a busy Wednesday in the Big 12, University of Kansas Athletic Director Jeff Long spent a portion of his afternoon over at the football team’s indoor practice facility addressing the Jayhawks.
Hours after the conference officially announced its plans to try and play fall sports during the COVID-19 pandemic, Long gave the players an update of sorts while his audience sat spread out 10 feet apart and wearing masks.
Long told reporters during a video conference he left the session certain of one thing: the Jayhawks are eager to get back to practice.
Originally scheduled to open the season Aug. 29 versus Southern Illinois, KU was able to start its preseason camp earlier than many FBS programs throughout the country this summer. But a week into those preparations head coach Les Miles and his staff had to press pause because it became clear the Jayhawks wouldn’t be able to play that soon, with the Big 12 adopting a 10-game schedule and conference games starting later in September.
While all the possibilities got sorted out and the Big 12 ultimately decided to keep playing football after the Big Ten and Pac-12 opted out, the Jayhawks weren’t able to practice.
“They've been doing walkthroughs for the last several days. I don't think they've had their uniforms on,” Long shared. “When that date got moved back there was no reason to move forward with all the padded practices and such. So now we'll get back more to — Coach Miles will put together a plan, and I haven't seen it, but I'm sure he's got a dozen different plans of when they'll come back and when they start practicing in shells and then pads and getting ready for the start of the season.”
As of Thursday the Jayhawks still had five-plus weeks to go before their new season opener, set for Sept. 12 (reportedly versus Coastal Carolina).
NCAA rules limit how many times teams can practice during preseason camp, so KU took the necessary measures to avoid any missteps.
Long said KU football didn’t have to abandon preseason camp, Miles and his staff just had to adjust.
“They went with much more time with walkthroughs and non-padded practices. But again, as we get back to closer to a normal fall camp situation — which I don't know if it's today, tomorrow, this weekend — he'll start that progression of getting into pads and padded practices,” Long said.
Miles has yet to be made available for interviews this summer.
“We had already done the five-day acclimatization period long before. We don't have to start that again,” Long pointed out, regarding a map teams have to follow before going into full-blown practices in the preseason. “We've already passed through that. So really, Coach Miles has some flexibility. And candidly looking in, I think he's given our players a good break, and we'll build them to be ready for that first game.”
On Thursday afternoon, as seen on KU football's social media accounts, the Jayhawks were going through drills without pads.
Long joked that the Jayhawks were more interested in getting back to regular camp practices than listening to him. Still, he said speaking with the team lifted his spirits.
“It made all the work behind the scenes here even that much more worthwhile,” Long said.
KU’s AD considered it a good starting point for a revised season, too.
“It feels good to be able to provide what we believe is a safe path forward for the young men to get to play college football,” he said.
KU players try not to tip their hands when asked about Les Miles buzz
Kansas safety Mike Lee celebrated with fans after the win against TCU. by Mike Gunnoe
Norman, Okla. — It’s rare to find Kansas safety Mike Lee in a bad mood.
The junior from New Orleans loves to talk, and that makes him all the more affable in a postgame interview setting. Unless you’ve just asked Lee about a specific mistake he made on the field he’ll respond to most inquires with an honest answer and a smile.
Even though the Jayhawks lost at No. 6 Oklahoma, 55-40, Saturday night at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Lee’s mood perked in the interview area near KU’s locker room because he got to spend a chunk of it discussing the exploits of fellow Louisianan Pooka Williams.
“That guy is tough. I ain’t even gonna lie to you,” Lee said after Williams, KU’s true freshman running back, rushed for 252 yards and two touchdowns, averaged 16.8 yards per carry and even threw a TD pass to Jeremiah Booker.
Naturally, I thought Lee might have an opinion on another prominent man with Louisiana ties. So I asked him what he thought of the growing speculation that Les Miles will become KU’s next head coach.
“I don’t know,” a grinning Lee replied. “I ain’t worried about it. If he come, he come. If he not, he not.”
With contract negotiations between KU and the former LSU head coach reportedly in the final stages as of Friday, speculation only increased Saturday, with the help of Miles’ pal, Tim Brando, who was on the call for FOX’s OU-KU broadcast.
Nothing is official. But it sure seems as if Miles could soon be in charge of KU football. Is that good news?
“We’ll see,” Lee responded, this time laughing.
As much as he wanted to play it off, and surely had been instructed not to talk about the Miles-to-KU smoke, Lee’s face beamed during his answers. Read into his body language what you will.
As for Joe Dineen, KU’s redshirt senior hometown linebacker, who grew up watching winning football in Memorial Stadium, when Mark Mangino ran the program? Even though Dineen won’t ever play for the Jayhawks’ next head coach, you know how this all plays out really means something to him.
What does Dineen make of the Miles rumors and reports?
He all but physically bit his lip.
“Not… Not discussing that right now,” Dineen said, fighting back a smile. “Yeah, refraining from discussing that right now.”
Senior quarterback Peyton Bender took a similar stance when I asked what he thought about all the Miles chatter.
“I’m not really concerned about that right now. Just focused on next week versus Texas and finishing out this season strong,” Bender said in his typically serious interview tone.
I told him it was a well rehearsed answer. The laid back QB flashed a Mike Lee-level grin.
The Jayhawks are doing their best to tune out all the Les Miles buzz. But they’re only human. They know about it. And because they care about the KU football program they’re excited about it, too. Even if they’re not supposed to say so. Yet.
Meet Jedd Fisch
UCLA offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch, left, talks with quarterback Josh Rosen, center, and head coach Jim Mora during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Oregon, Saturday, Oct. 21, 2017 in Pasadena, Calif. UCLA won 31-14. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
A name likely recognizable by only the most die-hard brand of college football fans, Jedd Fisch has become a coach worth knowing as Jeff Long, athletic director at the University of Kansas, continues in his search for the football program’s next head coach.
On Tuesday, Long flew from Lawrence to Colorado Springs, Colo., and back.
This week, the Los Angeles Rams are practicing at the Air Force Academy’s facilities, just north of Colorado Springs.
Fisch currently works for the Rams as a senior offensive assistant.
And there is more to this than connecting dots and making assumptions.
On the same day Long flew on KU’s private jet to Colorado Springs, Angelique Chengelis, who covers Michigan football for the Detroit News, tweeted out that she was “hearing” KU is considering Fisch for its head coaching vacancy.
Back before Fisch worked as UCLA’s offensive coordinator — and, eventually, interim head coach — in 2017, he spent two seasons as the passing game coordinator and quarterbacks/wide receivers coach at the University of Michigan.
What’s more, Jon Kirby of Jayhawk Slant has had Fisch on his KU coaching hot board for more than a week.
On Wednesday evening, CBS Sports' Dennis Dodd reported Long and Fisch met this week about the vacancy.
So who is Jedd Fisch?
Fisch, 42, doesn’t fit Long’s publicly stated preference for a candidate with head coaching experience at the college level.
Before joining the Rams, Fisch, then the offensive coordinator at UCLA, served as the program’s interim head coach for two games to close out the 2017 season. The Bruins defeated Cal and then suffered a 35-17 loss to Kansas State in the Cactus Bowl. And that’s the end of his head coaching résumé — 1-1.
However, as an assistant, Fisch has worked for a long list of successful head coaches, both with Power Five programs and NFL franchises, including Steve Spurrier, Dom Capers, Brian Billick, Mike Shanahan, Pete Carroll, Jim Harbaugh and others.
Fisch also has worked as the offensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars at the NFL level and both Miami and Minnesota at the college level.
Long admitted on the day he announced he would not retain David Beaty as KU’s football coach that he couldn’t rule out the possibility of hiring a coordinator with “demonstrated” potential as Beaty’s replacement.
And the winner is … KU football fans select Dave Doeren over Les Miles
FILE - In this Oct. 6, 2018, file photo, North Carolina State head coach Dave Doeren reacts during the second half an NCAA college football game against Boston College, in Raleigh, N.C. The Wolfpack are coming off consecutive losses to Clemson and Syracuse entering Saturday's game against Florida State. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome, File)
The results are in, voting has closed and the Kansas football fan base has made its choice for the program’s next head coach.
On the final day of voting in our KU Football Coaching Search Bracket, in what may be considered a mild upset by some who have been following along, North Carolina State head coach Dave Doeren defeated former LSU and Oklahoma State head coach Les Miles by the slimmest of margins — 51% to 49%.
Perhaps Miles’ backers within the KU fan base were too busy wondering about flights from Lawrence to Baton Rouge, La., that never materialized to remember to vote in the finals. Or maybe the bulk of our readers just plain prefer Doeren, a former KU assistant (2002-05) who grew up outside of Kansas City.
Either way, KU’s athletic director, Jeff Long, would be fortunate to be able to hire Doeren away from N.C. State — though doing so in reality would include a hefty $6 million buyout.
Currently in his sixth season with the Wolfpack and eighth as a head coach, Doeren, 46, led N.C. State to just its sixth 9-win season in school history in 2017, capping the year with a Sun Bowl victory over Arizona State.
Doeren is 63-37 as a head coach with a 40-33 mark since moving to N.C. State from Northern Illinois. His final team at Northern Illinois was 12-1 and received an Orange Bowl bid before Doeren moved on to the ACC.
| Year | School | G | W | L | T | Pct | AP Pre | AP High | AP Post |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Northern Illinois | 14 | 11 | 3 | 0 | .786 | |||
| 2012 | Northern Illinois | 13 | 12 | 1 | 0 | .923 | 16 | 22 | |
| 2013 | North Carolina State | 12 | 3 | 9 | 0 | .250 | |||
| 2014 | North Carolina State | 13 | 8 | 5 | 0 | .615 | |||
| 2015 | North Carolina State | 13 | 7 | 6 | 0 | .538 | |||
| 2016 | North Carolina State | 13 | 7 | 6 | 0 | .538 | |||
| 2017 | North Carolina State | 13 | 9 | 4 | 0 | .692 | 14 | 23 | |
| 2018 | North Carolina State | 9 | 6 | 3 | 0 | .667 | 16 | ||
| 8 Yrs | Overall | 100 | 63 | 37 | 0 | .630 | |||
| 2 Yrs | Northern Illinois | 27 | 23 | 4 | 0 | .852 | |||
| 6 Yrs | North Carolina State | 73 | 40 | 33 | 0 | .548 |
Eliminated in finals:
Les Miles - Former LSU and Oklahoma State head coach
Eliminated in semifinals:
Jeff Monken - Army head coach
Seth Littrell - North Texas head coach
Eliminated in Round 3:
Chris Klieman - North Dakota State head coach
Willie Fritz - Tulane head coach
Bryan Harsin - Boise State head coach
Jason Candle - Toledo head coach
Eliminated in Round 2:
Greg Schiano - Ohio State defensive coordinator
Neal Brown - Troy head coach
Jim McElwain - Former Florida and Colorado State head coach
Major Applewhite - Houston head coach
Scott Satterfield - Appalachian State head coach
Matt Wells - Utah State head coach
Troy Calhoun - Air Force head coach
Jim Leavitt - Oregon defensive coordinator
Eliminated in Round 1:
Mike Locksley - Alabama offensive coordinator
Lance Leipold - Buffalo head coach
Bret Bielema - Former Arkansas and Wisconsin head coach
Mike Norvell - Memphis head coach
Butch Jones - Former Tennessee and Cincinnati head coach
Mike MacIntyre - Colorado head coach
Todd Graham - Former Arizona State and Pitt head coach
Ed Warinner - Ohio State O-line coach
Tim Beck - Texas offensive coordinator
Ken Niumatalolo - Navy head coach
Jeff Tedford - Fresno State head coach
Chris Creighton - Eastern Michigan head coach
Frank Wilson - UT-San Antonio head coach
Brian Bohannon - Kennesaw State head coach
Craig Bohl - Wyoming head coach
— Review how the bracket played out: 2018 KU Football Coaching Search Bracket
Make your choice: Les Miles and Dave Doeren reach coaching search bracket finals
It all comes down to this.
After dominating their competition in each of the first four rounds, former LSU and Oklahoma State coach Les Miles and North Carolina State coach Dave Doeren are the only two candidates remaining in our fan-driven KU Football Coaching Search Bracket.
The athletic director at the University of Kansas, Jeff Long would consider himself fortunate if his finalists turn out to be as good as these two.
And, realistically, Long would find himself in a pretty enviable spot if he had a shot at hiring either of the other two coaches who cracked the bracket’s Final 4.
Eliminated in semifinals:
Jeff Monken - Army head coach
Seth Littrell - North Texas head coach
But now that the pool has been whittled down to the two football coaches who most intrigue the KU football fan base it’s time for you to get this fictionalized contract with your favorite candidate finalized.
Fans have all day Tuesday to vote for the champion, so to speak.
— Les Miles - Former LSU and Oklahoma State head coach vs. Dave Doeren - N.C. State head coach —
LES MILES
FILE — Former LSU head coach Les Miles watches during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Wisconsin Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Miles won 114 games and lost 34 over the course of 11-plus seasons with LSU. He was voted Coach of the Year by the AP in 2011, following his second SEC championship and a 13-0 start to the season. Miles’ Tigers won the national championship in 2007.
His name continues to be the most popular reportedly tied to Long’s search, which is officially in its second week.
| Year | School | G | W | L | T | Pct | AP Pre | AP High | AP Post |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Oklahoma State | 11 | 4 | 7 | 0 | .364 | |||
| 2002 | Oklahoma State | 13 | 8 | 5 | 0 | .615 | |||
| 2003 | Oklahoma State | 13 | 9 | 4 | 0 | .692 | 24 | 14 | |
| 2004 | Oklahoma State | 12 | 7 | 5 | 0 | .583 | 16 | ||
| 2005 | LSU | 13 | 11 | 2 | 0 | .846 | 5 | 3 | 6 |
| 2006 | LSU | 13 | 11 | 2 | 0 | .846 | 8 | 3 | 3 |
| 2007 | LSU | 14 | 12 | 2 | 0 | .857 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 2008 | LSU | 13 | 8 | 5 | 0 | .615 | 7 | 3 | |
| 2009 | LSU | 13 | 9 | 4 | 0 | .692 | 11 | 4 | 17 |
| 2010 | LSU | 13 | 11 | 2 | 0 | .846 | 21 | 5 | 8 |
| 2011 | LSU | 14 | 13 | 1 | 0 | .929 | 4 | 1 | 2 |
| 2012 | LSU | 13 | 10 | 3 | 0 | .769 | 3 | 2 | 14 |
| 2013 | LSU | 13 | 10 | 3 | 0 | .769 | 12 | 6 | 14 |
| 2014 | LSU | 13 | 8 | 5 | 0 | .615 | 13 | 8 | |
| 2015 | LSU | 12 | 9 | 3 | 0 | .750 | 14 | 4 | 16 |
| 2016 | LSU | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 5 | 5 | 13 |
| 16 Yrs | Overall | 197 | 142 | 55 | 0 | .721 | |||
| 4 Yrs | Oklahoma State | 49 | 28 | 21 | 0 | .571 | |||
| 12 Yrs | LSU | 148 | 114 | 34 | 0 | .770 |
DAVE DOEREN
FILE - In this Oct. 6, 2018, file photo, North Carolina State head coach Dave Doeren reacts during the second half an NCAA college football game against Boston College, in Raleigh, N.C. The Wolfpack are coming off consecutive losses to Clemson and Syracuse entering Saturday's game against Florida State. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome, File)
Now in his eighth overall season as a head coach, Doeren has won 63 of 100 games and guided his teams to five bowl appearances — with another one on the way this year.
North Carolina State has won the St. Petersburg Bowl, Independence Bowl and Sun Bowl under Doeren's watch.
Unlike Miles, of course, Doeren is an active head coach, currently preparing his Wolfpack (6-3, 3-3) for a Saturday matchup with floundering Louisville.
Whether Long considers Doeren a candidate or would seek him out to fill KU’s vacancy is unknown at this time.
| Year | School | G | W | L | T | Pct | AP Pre | AP High | AP Post |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Northern Illinois | 14 | 11 | 3 | 0 | .786 | |||
| 2012 | Northern Illinois | 13 | 12 | 1 | 0 | .923 | 16 | 22 | |
| 2013 | North Carolina State | 12 | 3 | 9 | 0 | .250 | |||
| 2014 | North Carolina State | 13 | 8 | 5 | 0 | .615 | |||
| 2015 | North Carolina State | 13 | 7 | 6 | 0 | .538 | |||
| 2016 | North Carolina State | 13 | 7 | 6 | 0 | .538 | |||
| 2017 | North Carolina State | 13 | 9 | 4 | 0 | .692 | 14 | 23 | |
| 2018 | North Carolina State | 9 | 6 | 3 | 0 | .667 | 16 | ||
| 8 Yrs | Overall | 100 | 63 | 37 | 0 | .630 | |||
| 2 Yrs | Northern Illinois | 27 | 23 | 4 | 0 | .852 | |||
| 6 Yrs | North Carolina State | 73 | 40 | 33 | 0 | .548 |
— Now’s your chance. Pick KU football’s next head coach at our bracket: 2018 KU Football Coaching Search Bracket
Just 4 candidates remaining in KU football coaching search bracket
The search for the Kansas football program’s next head coach is nearly complete — at least as far as our online bracket is concerned.
Each of the top four seeds in the 32-candidate field survived the first three rounds of fan voting at KUsports.com, leading to a chalk semifinal round.
Les Miles. Jeff Monken. Dave Doeren. Seth Littrell. Only two of them can move on.
The other two will have to take the same exit route as some very experienced, talented coaches who already have been removed from contention.
Eliminated in Round 3:
Chris Klieman - North Dakota State head coach
Willie Fritz - Tulane head coach
Bryan Harsin - Boise State head coach
Jason Candle - Toledo head coach
It’s safe to assume most KU football fans would actually be pleased if any of those four coaches knocked out in the quarterfinals actually ended up in charge. But in this head-to-head endeavor, even candidates Athletic Director Jeff Long still may be considering are out of the mix.
We’ve reached the Final 4 in our KU Football Coaching Search Bracket, and you, the program’s fans, get to decide which contenders are worthy of the championship round.
Here are our two semifinal matchups. Make your selections throughout Monday. Voting for the title round, which determines the people’s coaching choice, will follow on Tuesday.
— Les Miles - Former LSU and Oklahoma State head coach vs. Jeff Monken - Army head coach —
LES MILES
FILE — Former LSU head coach Les Miles watches during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Wisconsin Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
| Year | School | G | W | L | T | Pct | AP Pre | AP High | AP Post |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Oklahoma State | 11 | 4 | 7 | 0 | .364 | |||
| 2002 | Oklahoma State | 13 | 8 | 5 | 0 | .615 | |||
| 2003 | Oklahoma State | 13 | 9 | 4 | 0 | .692 | 24 | 14 | |
| 2004 | Oklahoma State | 12 | 7 | 5 | 0 | .583 | 16 | ||
| 2005 | LSU | 13 | 11 | 2 | 0 | .846 | 5 | 3 | 6 |
| 2006 | LSU | 13 | 11 | 2 | 0 | .846 | 8 | 3 | 3 |
| 2007 | LSU | 14 | 12 | 2 | 0 | .857 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 2008 | LSU | 13 | 8 | 5 | 0 | .615 | 7 | 3 | |
| 2009 | LSU | 13 | 9 | 4 | 0 | .692 | 11 | 4 | 17 |
| 2010 | LSU | 13 | 11 | 2 | 0 | .846 | 21 | 5 | 8 |
| 2011 | LSU | 14 | 13 | 1 | 0 | .929 | 4 | 1 | 2 |
| 2012 | LSU | 13 | 10 | 3 | 0 | .769 | 3 | 2 | 14 |
| 2013 | LSU | 13 | 10 | 3 | 0 | .769 | 12 | 6 | 14 |
| 2014 | LSU | 13 | 8 | 5 | 0 | .615 | 13 | 8 | |
| 2015 | LSU | 12 | 9 | 3 | 0 | .750 | 14 | 4 | 16 |
| 2016 | LSU | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 5 | 5 | 13 |
| 16 Yrs | Overall | 197 | 142 | 55 | 0 | .721 | |||
| 4 Yrs | Oklahoma State | 49 | 28 | 21 | 0 | .571 | |||
| 12 Yrs | LSU | 148 | 114 | 34 | 0 | .770 |
JEFF MONKEN
Army head coach Jeff Monken yells to officials during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Tulane on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015, in West Point, N.Y. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)
| Year | School | G | W | L | T | Pct | AP Pre | AP High | AP Post |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Army | 12 | 4 | 8 | 0 | .333 | |||
| 2015 | Army | 12 | 2 | 10 | 0 | .167 | |||
| 2016 | Army | 13 | 8 | 5 | 0 | .615 | |||
| 2017 | Army | 13 | 10 | 3 | 0 | .769 | |||
| 2018 | Army | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 | .800 | |||
| 5 Yrs | Army | 60 | 32 | 28 | 0 | .533 |
— Dave Doeren - North Carolina State head coach vs. Seth Littrell - North Texas head coach —
DAVE DOEREN
FILE - In this Oct. 6, 2018, file photo, North Carolina State head coach Dave Doeren reacts during the second half an NCAA college football game against Boston College, in Raleigh, N.C. The Wolfpack are coming off consecutive losses to Clemson and Syracuse entering Saturday's game against Florida State. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome, File)
| Year | School | G | W | L | T | Pct | AP Pre | AP High | AP Post |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Northern Illinois | 14 | 11 | 3 | 0 | .786 | |||
| 2012 | Northern Illinois | 13 | 12 | 1 | 0 | .923 | 16 | 22 | |
| 2013 | North Carolina State | 12 | 3 | 9 | 0 | .250 | |||
| 2014 | North Carolina State | 13 | 8 | 5 | 0 | .615 | |||
| 2015 | North Carolina State | 13 | 7 | 6 | 0 | .538 | |||
| 2016 | North Carolina State | 13 | 7 | 6 | 0 | .538 | |||
| 2017 | North Carolina State | 13 | 9 | 4 | 0 | .692 | 14 | 23 | |
| 2018 | North Carolina State | 9 | 6 | 3 | 0 | .667 | 16 | ||
| 8 Yrs | Overall | 100 | 63 | 37 | 0 | .630 | |||
| 2 Yrs | Northern Illinois | 27 | 23 | 4 | 0 | .852 | |||
| 6 Yrs | North Carolina State | 73 | 40 | 33 | 0 | .548 |
SETH LITTRELL
North Texas head coach Seth Littrell, center, watches from the sideline during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Iowa, Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017, in Iowa City, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
| Year | School | G | W | L | T | Pct | AP Pre | AP High | AP Post |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | North Texas | 13 | 5 | 8 | 0 | .385 | |||
| 2017 | North Texas | 14 | 9 | 5 | 0 | .643 | |||
| 2018 | North Texas | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | .700 | |||
| 3 Yrs | North Texas | 37 | 21 | 16 | 0 | .568 |
— Now’s your chance. Pick KU football’s next head coach at our bracket: 2018 KU Football Coaching Search Bracket
Eliminated in Round 2:
Greg Schiano - Ohio State defensive coordinator
Neal Brown - Troy head coach
Jim McElwain - Former Florida and Colorado State head coach
Major Applewhite - Houston head coach
Scott Satterfield - Appalachian State head coach
Matt Wells - Utah State head coach
Troy Calhoun - Air Force head coach
Jim Leavitt - Oregon defensive coordinator
Eliminated in Round 1:
Mike Locksley - Alabama offensive coordinator
Lance Leipold - Buffalo head coach
Bret Bielema - Former Arkansas and Wisconsin head coach
Mike Norvell - Memphis head coach
Butch Jones - Former Tennessee and Cincinnati head coach
Mike MacIntyre - Colorado head coach
Todd Graham - Former Arizona State and Pitt head coach
Ed Warinner - Ohio State O-line coach
Tim Beck - Texas offensive coordinator
Ken Niumatalolo - Navy head coach
Jeff Tedford - Fresno State head coach
Chris Creighton - Eastern Michigan head coach
Frank Wilson - UT-San Antonio head coach
Brian Bohannon - Kennesaw State head coach
Craig Bohl - Wyoming head coach
Dan Enos - Alabama quarterbacks coach and associate head coach
Survey says: KU football fans prefer Les Miles, identify him as most likely hire
Kansas athletic director Jeff Long watches from the sidelines in the fourth quarter of the Jayhawks' 21-17 loss to the Wildcats on Saturday, Nov. 10, 2018 at Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan, Kan. by Nick Krug
When Jeff Long spoke publicly for the first time about his decision to find a new head football coach for the University of Kansas, the athletic director could only provide some general goals he had in mind for the hire.
“We are going to find a proven leader, a tenacious recruiter and a developer of young men on and off the field,” Long assured a downtrodden fan base. “As I have routinely said, we will break the cycle. My expectation is that the football program should be a bowl-bound program on a regular basis. I believe with the players currently in our program and the recruits who will commit in the coming months, we will be close to annual bowl berths and longterm competitiveness in the Big 12.”
Just whom Long ultimately will hire and whether that coach achieves all of the aforementioned criteria for success remains to be seen.
As his search continues, though, we now have a better sense of what type of expectations KU football followers have for the program’s 39th head coach.
This past week, more than 1,500 readers who visited KUsports.com and self-identified as KU football fans were selected at random to answer survey questions about the coaching search.
Here are the six inquiries posed, and the answers provided.
No. 1: KU is seeking a new football coach. Following is a list of coaches frequently mentioned as candidates for the job. Which coach do you most prefer?
A week into KU’s coaching search, 51.1% of fans would be more partial to Long hiring former LSU and Oklahoma State coach Les Miles, the man most often tied with the opening thus far.
North Carolina State coach Dave Doeren, a former KU assistant (2002-05) who grew up outside of Kansas City, was the only other potential candidate with significant fan backing, at 25.1%.
No. 2: Setting aside your personal preferences, which of the following coaches do you think has the highest probability of becoming the next KU coach?
An even greater percentage of fans (59.1%) thought Miles will end up being the coach Long actually hires.
And the runner up wasn’t even close. North Texas head coach Seth Littrell garnered 11.4% of the votes.
No. 3: Some of the coaches listed as candidates for the KU job run the triple-option offense. What's your reaction to the possibility of KU running the triple option offense?
If KU were to take the zig while everyone else is zagging approach and bring in a head coach, such as Army’s Jeff Monken or Tulane’s Willie Fritz, with a background in the run-heavy triple option attack, it seems most fans would be all right with that — as long as it proved effective.
Although only 13% of those surveyed specifically wanted that drastic stylistic switch, almost half of the respondents (48.8%) said a triple-option scheme wouldn’t bother them if it worked for the Jayhawks and produced victories.
However, 17.1% of fans think the triple option won’t work in the Big 12.
No. 4: Given the KU football program's recent struggles, what is a realistic record to expect of a new coaching staff in 2019?
Unless this year’s Jayhawks find a way to upset either Oklahoma or Texas in the next two weeks, the program will finish the season with three or fewer wins for the ninth consecutive season.
However, with a regime change imminent, most KU football fans anticipate 2019 being the first year with four or more wins since Mark Mangino left.
A 4-8 season was the most popular projected record choice, receiving 43% of the votes. Some fans are looking for even better — 13% expect a 5-7 campaign and 4.8% think at least 6 wins and bowl eligibility is a realistic goal.
No. 5: KU Athletic Director Jeff Long said he expects KU football to be bowl-bound on a regular basis. When should the new coach be expected to return KU to a bowl game?
Even so, it looks like most of the KU football fan base isn’t about to demand instant success for the Jayhawks’ next head coach.
Only 3.9% of fans surveyed expect the new coach to lead Kansas to the postseason in his first year on the job.
In fact, the 2021 season received the most votes (43%) for the year the yet-to-be-hired coach should deliver a bowl bid. Another 39.1% of fans would like to see the Jayhawks in the postseason by 2020.
No. 6: Kansas has the lowest paid head coach in the Big 12 at $1.7 million per year. What annual salary range do you expect KU to pay its next football coach?
Whomever Long lands, KU fans expect the first-year AD will have enough financial support from donors in place to pay the football coach significantly more than the $1.7 million base salary David Beaty’s contract called for this year.
Among the respondents, 42.6% think KU should pay the football coach in a range that could be double Beaty’s salary, somewhere between $3 million and $3.9 million annually.
Another 30.9% called for a less expensive number, between $2 million and $2.9 million.
— Now’s your chance. Pick KU football’s next head coach at our bracket: 2018 KU Football Coaching Search Bracket
Louisville football latest Power Five program to join KU in coaching search
FILE — Louisville head coach Bobby Petrino during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Boston College in Boston, Saturday, Oct. 13, 2018. Louisville fired Petrino on Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
A week after University of Kansas Athletic director Jeff Long officially began looking for David Beaty’s replacement, another potential competitor has entered the coaching search fray.
News broke Sunday morning that Louisville’s administration decided to fire football coach Bobby Petrino, effective immediately.
So any coach looking to move on from his current job or upgrade to a Power Five conference now has three programs to ponder.
Even before Long decided to fire Beaty, the football job at Maryland opened up, following a tumultuous year for former head coach D.J. Durkin. Now that Louisville is actively looking to make a hiring splash, too, it’s possible Long’s pool of candidates could overlap with those of athletic directors in both the Big Ten and ACC.
Louisville’s struggles this season — the Cardinals (2-8 overall, 0-7 ACC) have only defeated Indiana State and Western Kentucky — led to Petrino’s demise. However, the program overall has remained quite successful this past decade, even as it transitioned from the Big East to the American to the ACC.
This will mark the Cardinals’ first losing season since 2009, ending U of L’s streak of eight consecutive bowl appearances under, first, Charlie Strong and, then, Petrino.
In fact, the only significant lull for Louisville football in the past 20 years came and went relatively quickly, with three losing seasons under Steve Kragthorpe from 2007-09. Louisville has played in 17 bowl games since 1998, including the Orange Bowl, Sugar Bowl and Citrus Bowl.
So if you were a football coach fielding interest from Louisville Athletic Director Vince Tyra and KU’s Long, which program would look more attractive?
The Jayhawks (3-7, 1-6 Big 12) might be slightly better this season than the Cardinals, but KU football hasn’t won more than three games in a season since a former administration forced out head coach Mark Mangino following the 2009 season.
Then, there’s Maryland. Despite the public perception hit that the program took the past several months with reports of bullying and abuse under Durkin’s watch, it remains a viable landing spot for respected coaches. Maryland (5-5, 3-4 Big Ten) may reach a bowl this season. It would be the Terrapins’ fifth postseason appearance since the start of the 2010 season, a stretch during which the program is 47-63.
KU is now 18-88 in the post-Mangino era. Louisville, in that same span, is 73-41.
Long is running a confidential search, so it’s tough to decipher who is really on his short list and who isn’t. Still, it’s possible these job openings — and any that follow at other Power Five schools before he makes his hire — could limit Long’s options.
The other aspect of Petrino’s firing that’s at least worth mentioning, even if it doesn’t end up substantive, is that Long used to work with the now-available coach. When Long was at Arkansas, he hired Petrino, and the football coach led the Razorbacks to a 34-17 record from 2008-11, as Arkansas played in the Liberty Bowl, Sugar Bowl and Cotton Bowl.
Long had to fire Petrino in 2012, though, after the coach’s motorcycle accident eventually revealed Petrino had hired his mistress to work for the program.
Although Petrino, 57, owns a 119-56 career coaching record between his two stints at Louisville (2003-06 and 2014-18), a one-year run at Western Kentucky and four years with Arkansas, it’s extremely improbable Long would consider a reunion at KU.
When Long announced Petrino’s firing in 2012, he said, "In short, Coach Petrino engaged in a pattern of misleading and manipulative behavior designed to deceive me and members of the athletic staff, both before and after the motorcycle accident."
The entire debacle at least played a part in Arkansas moving on from Long as its AD in November of 2017. He would have zero motivation to reconcile that ugly divorce.
and 4 others
And then there were 8: See who’s still alive in KU football coaching search bracket
How close we are to reaching the finish line in Jeff Long’s search to find the Kansas football team’s next head coach remains to be seen.
But here at KUsports.com, our tournament-themed quest to land on the best possible candidate is humming right along.
Some coaches with serious promise and/or experience didn’t survive the second-round voting.
Eliminated in Round 2:
Greg Schiano - Ohio State defensive coordinator
Neal Brown - Troy head coach
Jim McElwain - Former Florida and Colorado State head coach
Major Applewhite - Houston head coach
Scott Satterfield - Appalachian State head coach
Matt Wells - Utah State head coach
Troy Calhoun - Air Force head coach
Jim Leavitt - Oregon defensive coordinator
It’s now Day 3 of our KU Football Coaching Search Bracket, and you, the program’s fans, have trimmed the list of candidates down to eight. The tightest Round 2 matchup was between Tulane’s Willie Fritz and Houston’s Major Applewhite, with the veteran Fritz edging the young Applewhite, 51% to 49%.
Thus far, the top seeds from each region, Les Miles, Jeff Monken, Dave Doeren and Seth Littrell, remain in the mix as we’ve reached the regional final round of our interactive hunt for the Jayhawks’ next coach.
Here’s the rundown of our Round 3 matchups. Make your selections Friday, and Final Four voting will begin on Monday.
FILE — Former LSU head coach Les Miles watches during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Wisconsin Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
• Les Miles - Former LSU and Oklahoma State head coach vs. Chris Klieman - North Dakota State head coach
Army head coach Jeff Monken yells to officials during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Tulane on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015, in West Point, N.Y. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)
• Jeff Monken - Army head coach vs. Willie Fritz - Tulane head coach
FILE - In this Oct. 6, 2018, file photo, North Carolina State head coach Dave Doeren reacts during the second half an NCAA college football game against Boston College, in Raleigh, N.C. The Wolfpack are coming off consecutive losses to Clemson and Syracuse entering Saturday's game against Florida State. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome, File)
• Dave Doeren - North Carolina State head coach vs. Bryan Harsin - Boise State head coach
North Texas head coach Seth Littrell, center, watches from the sideline during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Iowa, Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017, in Iowa City, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
• Seth Littrell - North Texas head coach vs. Jason Candle - Toledo head coach
— Now’s your chance. Pick KU football’s next head coach at our bracket: 2018 KU Football Coaching Search Bracket
Eliminated in Round 1:
Mike Locksley - Alabama offensive coordinator
Lance Leipold - Buffalo head coach
Bret Bielema - Former Arkansas and Wisconsin head coach
Mike Norvell - Memphis head coach
Butch Jones - Former Tennessee and Cincinnati head coach
Mike MacIntyre - Colorado head coach
Todd Graham - Former Arizona State and Pitt head coach
Ed Warinner - Ohio State O-line coach
Tim Beck - Texas offensive coordinator
Ken Niumatalolo - Navy head coach
Jeff Tedford - Fresno State head coach
Chris Creighton - Eastern Michigan head coach
Frank Wilson - UT-San Antonio head coach
Brian Bohannon - Kennesaw State head coach
Craig Bohl - Wyoming head coach
Dan Enos - Alabama quarterbacks coach and associate head coach
Hiring an ol’ ball coach with years (and years) of experience seems best move for KU
FILE - LSU head coach Les Miles ponders a reporter's question's following an NCAA college football game against Mississippi in Oxford, Miss., Saturday, Nov. 21, 2015. Mississippi won 38-17. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Whether the next head football coach at the University of Kansas turns out to be Les Miles or someone else, the man charged with turning around the Big 12’s worst program seems more likely to be long in the tooth than one of college football’s up-and-comers.
Ideally, athletic director Jeff Long wants KU football’s next leader to arrive in Lawrence well-versed in all that goes into running a college program.
Theoretically, the coaches who have been around the game the longest would be most equipped to deal with whatever unforeseen challenges pop up at KU.
How exactly would KU’s AD view a candidate’s age — as a positive or negative — while searching for a replacement for David Beaty, 48? Long was asked one such question during his press conference earlier this week.
“Well, by federal laws I’m not allowed to have age be a factor in my search,” Long was quick to point out.
Through his next words, though, it seemed the athletic director wouldn’t mind hiring a coach who was closer to the retirement stage of his life than his football playing days.
“Age, you’re only as young as you feel,” Long said. “I feel a lot younger than my 59 years — it’s hard for me to believe it when I say it. But it’s not about age and years. It’s about energy. It’s about passion. It’s about commitment. It’s about eagerness to get out and turn the program.”
The most prominent name tied to KU’s job opening the past several days, former LSU and Oklahoma State head coach Miles also happens to be the oldest candidate being mentioned among Long’s potential hires, theoretical or otherwise.
Miles turns 65 on Saturday and hasn’t coached in a little more than two years, when LSU fired him four games into the 2016 season, despite his .721 career winning percentage and national championship with the Tigers.
Currently the defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach at Oregon, Jim Leavitt, 61, has spent the better part of the past four decades in college football. True, Leavitt hasn’t been a head coach since 2009, but he did leave South Florida with a 75-44 record and five straight bowl appearances to close out his run there.
A three-time FCS national champion as head coach at North Dakota State, Craig Bohl, 60, is now in his fifth year at Wyoming. Bohl's Cowboys are currently 4-6, and they’re 26-35 since he took over in 2014. Still, it’s his stellar 104-32 run over the course of 11 seasons with North Dakota State that makes him an intriguing coach for a Power Five program in KU’s position.
| PODCAST: Beaty’s out — what’s next for KU football? |
A few other names featured in our 32-candidate coaching search bracket at KUsports.com are approaching 60.
Tulane’s Willie Fritz, 58, worked his way up through the ranks. This year marks his 26th as a college head coach and 22nd in charge of a Division I or Division II program. Fritz has Tulane at 4-5 this year. He’s 31-27 over the past five, thanks to an 18-7 mark in two seasons at Georgia Southern, before he moved on to Tulane (13-20).
Jeff Tedord, 57, has amassed a 100-62 record during his close to 13 seasons coaching at the FBS level. Tedford’s Fresno State team is off to an 8-1 start this year. From 2002-12, Tedford’s Cal teams went 82-57 overall and 5-3 in bowl games.
Now the receivers coach at Michigan, former Florida and Colorado State coach Jim McElwain is 56. The Florida job, like most in the SEC, is a beast, often accompanied by unrealistic expectations. McElwain led the Gators to a 10-4 record in 2015, 9-4 in 2016 and then was fired at 3-4 in 2017. Previously, he went 22-16 in three seasons at Colorado State.
Considering what KU football has endured since Mark Mangino was forced to resign following the 2009 season, any of those veterans, grizzled or not, signing on with Kansas would signify a change for the better.
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