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Lance Leipold to Kansas


promotherobot

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19 hours ago, promotherobot said:

Not a good job but then again neither was Buffalo for a long time. Could just be media spitballing. Many names being mentioned.

Feels like Gill to Kansas, lower level team in a good conference. We will see what happens. I'm hoping he stays to keep the momentum going, but he has done what he was brought here to do. He changed the culture, made the players believe they are winners. Our current recruits are all 3 star except 1, when he got here, we were lucky to get 1 3-star recruit. Well done Lance, whatever you decide.

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Feels like the media always looks at every G5 coach who is doing well and slots them in for "the next coach of xxxxx".   Leipold built this program back up and he's clearly comfortable here.  Now they have the Field house and nice facilities. Maybe he and his family loves WNY and what this program has become and doesn't want to leave for the unknown.    Maybe at 56,  he doesn't want the pressure of a rebuild job at a Big 10 program and being a fund raiser and all the other pressures that come with a P5 job. Maybe he and Alnutt have discussed the next chapter of UB Athletics and a possible conference move in the next few years and Leipold would be the guy to lead us?

Ya just never know.  I haven't heard any real talk of Lance having big aspirations of coaching in the Big 10 and moving on.  He seems like a very loyal guy and clearly not a job hopper.  

But then again, all things eventually come to an end. and if/when he does leave this will be an attractive job for someone.  

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Realistically he will probably leave and has earned every right to. That said I’ll hold out hope that he stays. I thought Oats might stay and was blindsided when he went to Alabama. I’m not going to be naive in that way again, though obviously I hope Lance’s situation here is different. 

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I would think that Lance would go, at some point, for the right job.  So getting a B1G offer, if it comes, would be attractive.  But it is hard to win at Illinois and almost every coach in these lower P5 jobs eventually gets fired -- but they get a great financial windfall.  Smith was making over $3M a year, not to mention a buyout.

I would say that the Cincy coach is first choice and if it is not him, then it will be LL getting an offer. 

 

 

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2 hours ago, clodney said:

Lovie Smith made 10x what Lance makes at UB. He will definitely be leaving if he's offered that level of money. That said, I hope he holds out for something a bit better than Illinois. That's a tough place to win in.

Yeah, I hope he doesn't have his bags already packed like Oats did in the NCAA tournament. Take a breath and assess what's being offered. Take a job that's worth leaving for. (Oats would have likely been a top candidate for Michigan if he didn't chase those 'Bama $$$.) I'm certain Alnutt would give Lance a nice bump (with an increased buyout) if he stayed another year.  There are jobs every year. If Lance thinks UB can still succeed next season what's the rush?

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It would be attractive for him, big bump in salary, accomplished everything you can do at Buffalo(build facilities, win a MAC title, become ranked, win a bowl), when he was at Whitewater they recruited Chicago and Michigan like it was no ones business. 
 

Coaches always want to make it to the top. You can say he’s comfortable at 56 but there is no doubt in the back of his mind saying I only have so many years to do this let’s try to win a D1 title

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Although LL has stabilized the program and delivered the best two seasons in history, I don't see him fitting well with a Power 5 school. The fanbase would likely sour quickly on his style of play, and he doesn't have best the best recruiting resume. 

Additionally, in his 6 years as Head Coach at UB, he is 12-20 against winning teams and 12-25 against teams rated in the top 100 (Massey Ratings). Those aren't exactly earth shattering figures, though much better than any of his predecessors. 

If he does leave, he leaves the program in much better condition than he found it in, which should help the candidate pool. 

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Much discussion that our coach is desired candidate.   AD at Illinois knew Lance from Wisconsin.  In Chicago Tribune had a picture of one our assistant coaches as Lance.  I goggled Urbana newspaper and was recommending Lance.

 

if he goes- good for him and UB.  We will get a strong coordinator from a big program.  We are on the map.

Think about our history: oats to Alabama; Hurley to Arizona State and now a big ten school.  Do not forget last 3 ADs - Michigan, Auburn and Central Florida

The reality of being Buffalo.  We are now a destination for players and coaches

 

go BULLS 

 

Markchicago 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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20 minutes ago, markchicago said:

Much discussion that our coach is desired candidate.   AD at Illinois knew Lance from Wisconsin.  In Chicago Tribune had a picture of one our assistant coaches as Lance.  I goggled Urbana newspaper and was recommending Lance.

 

if he goes- good for him and UB.  We will get a strong coordinator from a big program.  We are on the map.

Think about our history: oats to Alabama; Hurley to Arizona State and now a big ten school.  Do not forget last 3 ADs - Michigan, Auburn and Central Florida

The reality of being Buffalo.  We are now a destination for players and coaches

 

go BULLS 

 

Markchicago 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I just think Illinois is a tough gig. Certainly going to hard to make that program a winner. Will people be patient?

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Lance was on the Jim Rome show (yes he still has an actual radio show).  He was asked if he would pick up the phone if a P5 job comes calling?  Lance didn't say NO. But he didn't say yes either.  He went on to say something about only being concerned about where we are at right now, and the big game ahead.

So there ya go.  He's not a secret, and I'm sure LL will get a big offer or two.  

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23 minutes ago, zigo230 said:

Lance was on the Jim Rome show (yes he still has an actual radio show).  He was asked if he would pick up the phone if a P5 job comes calling?  Lance didn't say NO. But he didn't say yes either.  He went on to say something about only being concerned about where we are at right now, and the big game ahead.

So there ya go.  He's not a secret, and I'm sure LL will get a big offer or two.  

It was a really good interview, he's a good dude. He hit the nail on the head too. Recruits are told not to go to a 2-10 team because the coach will be fired, but don't go to a good team either because the coach will go to a better opportunity. That's the issue with the MAC not being a destination job. The only teams that have coaches stick around are 5-7, 6-6, 7-5. Good enough not to get fired, bad enough not to draw attention. I would rather have a coach in demand and bring in the next star coach until we get to a destination conference. Our last 3 ADs at Michigan, Auburn and UCF? Head BB coach at Alabama? Gill goes to Liberty and  between him and Freeze turn them into Top 25. I'll take it. I don't want Lance to go, but I have faith in Mark Alnutt to bring us the next great coach if he has to.

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16 hours ago, UBinMD said:

It was a really good interview, he's a good dude. He hit the nail on the head too. Recruits are told not to go to a 2-10 team because the coach will be fired, but don't go to a good team either because the coach will go to a better opportunity. That's the issue with the MAC not being a destination job. The only teams that have coaches stick around are 5-7, 6-6, 7-5. Good enough not to get fired, bad enough not to draw attention. I would rather have a coach in demand and bring in the next star coach until we get to a destination conference. Our last 3 ADs at Michigan, Auburn and UCF? Head BB coach at Alabama? Gill goes to Liberty and  between him and Freeze turn them into Top 25. I'll take it. I don't want Lance to go, but I have faith in Mark Alnutt to bring us the next great coach if he has to.

Gill actually went from UB to Kansas.

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2 hours ago, myBuffalo said:

and struggled in Lawrence too.

Lawrence is a tough town for football.  Kansas is a basketball school, by and large; little in-state football recruits of high ranking (and a good number of those head to Oklahoma to play); not much of a draw (other than Kansas City?); etc..  The exception in the last 20 years or so was the Mark Mangino (The Fat Man) era.  He took them to the Orange Bowl and victory, but then got chased from town for bullying players (?) or something like that.

Illinois should be a good school, with in-state, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio recruits by the truckload.  Not sure why Lovie didn't have better results.  Dick Butkus and Red Grange know better.

I hope Lance stays at UB, but I believe he could make Illinois work if they had patience.  A quick-fix guy he is not (or so it would appear).

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I know he went to Kansas first, struggled and got his payday. Then he went to Liberty and guided them into the Division 1 ranks. I think he realized that schools like Buffalo and Liberty played to his strengths and who he is as a man. I credit him with the start of our current success and never begrudged him for going after the money, but I do think another year would have gotten him to a football school where he could have had success. Unfortunately his wife's hear condition led to his retirement. I think a lot of young men benefited from his tutelage. 

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Seems like P5 programs are often looking for the hot young coordinators who have recruiting gems on their resume....and who can also be the face of the program and energize it.  Then of course, you get guys like Lovie Smith hired as well.  

I'm not sure where Leipold fits in to the mix but I sure hope he likes UB and WNY enough to stay and maybe be the "Ohio State" of the MAC for a few more years.  I don't think his program would ascend to that at Illinois or many other schools.  But hey, if he's into the money it won't be a competition.  

 

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54 minutes ago, zigo230 said:

Seems like P5 programs are often looking for the hot young coordinators who have recruiting gems on their resume....and who can also be the face of the program and energize it.  Then of course, you get guys like Lovie Smith hired as well.  

I'm not sure where Leipold fits in to the mix but I sure hope he likes UB and WNY enough to stay and maybe be the "Ohio State" of the MAC for a few more years.  I don't think his program would ascend to that at Illinois or many other schools.  But hey, if he's into the money it won't be a competition.  

 

That last part is really unfair.  "But hey, if he's into the money..."

He makes somewhere between $465,000 and $615,000 now depending on the year and hitting incentives.

Ballpark hire for Illinois would be about $4M per year for 5 years.  That's $20M guaranteed.  That's life changing money for him, his kids, his grandchildren.  

And he gets to be in the B1G where he gets to challenge himself against the best.  It is a recruiting ground he knows.  The fit is really good.

No one in the MAC is ever staying to make their school the "Ohio State of the MAC".   The MAC is a stepping stone conference -- we all know that.  And we all have known that.

If the right offer doesn't come along for LL (or any MAC coach, really), he should continue at Buffalo until it does.  Illinois, in my opinion, is the right offer (should it come).  Arizona...not so much.

By the way, LL's Wikipedia page is too short.  Someone needs to add content.

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Just gonna add my 2 cents...I think its foolish to think that Lance will stay at UB much longer.  Whether its after this season or next he's gone at some point.  The lure of P5 coaching and $$$ is too much to compete against.  He has shown he can build and win.  Our recruiting has taken a massive step forward and we could have multiple players drafted next spring. I do agree he could stick around to build his profile to hold out for a better job but either way he's gone sooner than later.  Its unfortunate but its how college sports operates. We are a stepping stone school.  Which isn't necessarily a bad thing.  The pressure is on the AD to constantly find the next future star coach that way we stay relevant.  Example...Hurley to Oats over on the basketball side.  Yes you gotta get lucky but you also gotta have a plan.  Example...plucking winning ambitious coaches from the D2 ranks and elevating them. Or hiring someone with a past resume but has fallen on hard times and is looking for a rebound. Or you can hire an old fart like Whitesell and ride him into retirement lol.

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4 hours ago, DooleyBull06 said:

Just gonna add my 2 cents...I think its foolish to think that Lance will stay at UB much longer.  Whether its after this season or next he's gone at some point.  The lure of P5 coaching and $$$ is too much to compete against.  He has shown he can build and win.  Our recruiting has taken a massive step forward and we could have multiple players drafted next spring. I do agree he could stick around to build his profile to hold out for a better job but either way he's gone sooner than later.  Its unfortunate but its how college sports operates. We are a stepping stone school.  Which isn't necessarily a bad thing.  The pressure is on the AD to constantly find the next future star coach that way we stay relevant.  Example...Hurley to Oats over on the basketball side.  Yes you gotta get lucky but you also gotta have a plan.  Example...plucking winning ambitious coaches from the D2 ranks and elevating them. Or hiring someone with a past resume but has fallen on hard times and is looking for a rebound. Or you can hire an old fart like Whitesell and ride him into retirement lol.

Almost every school is a stepping stone school.

Right now Iowa State has got a shot to play in the Football Final 4, should things break right for them.  And yet...their fanbase is worrying about whether he is going to jump ship for TTUN (Michigan, for the uninitiated).  

Unless you are at Alabama, Ohio State or Notre Dame (and maybe a few others), every job is a stepping stone.

Personally, I still can't believe Bielema left Wisconsin for Arkansas.  He was making $2.6M at Wisconsin and ended up being hired at Arkansas for $3.2M because he wanted the challenge of the SEC (among other things).  This was after playing in the Rose Bowl for three years in a row at Wisconsin.

 

This sort of "will our coach leave" saga is ubiquitous, but it is a good thing (all things considered).  It means the team is doing well enough that other schools want him.  At the end of the day, that's what matters.  To think anyone will stay anywhere is a pipe dream/lottery ticket.  These are highly competitive and motivated people who have spent their careers (most of them, anyway) moving around being assistant here and assistant there.  It is the nature of the business.

So if LL coaches his last game today for the Bulls (or it is the bowl game), I am satisfied.  Surely...I don't want him to leave, but it is okay.

Go Bulls.

 

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I’ll say this, great Mid Majors conference teams in my opinion hire from within and don’t go outside the tree. If I’m Buffalo and Leipold Leaves, I’m looking to hire one of his assistants for the HC position. They do have some guys  who could do the job that would like the pay increase. I’d look at Zebrowski or Simpson. Young guys who were molded in Leipold’s ways and could keep the organization and systems in place that were already established instead of turning things over 
 

 

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