Lance Leipold
Speaking of the Midwest and innovative coaches who just flat out win games, let’s talk about Lance Leipold. As Mississippi State searches for a new head coach, Zac Selmon and the Mississippi State football program should keep Kansas Jayhawks head coach Lane Leipold in mind.
Leipold has a great track record as a program builder and innovator who can quickly turn a program around in a hurry.
That’d make him an ideal candidate for Mississippi State.
In Lawrence, Kansas, Leipold has taken on arguably the hardest Power 5 job in the country and very quickly turned the Jayhawks into a respectable program. He secured the program’s first bowl berth since 2008 and has notched wins over the likes of Texas, Oklahoma, Houston, and West Virginia.
He can build up a bad team in a hurry.
Prior to Kansas, Leipold spent several seasons getting a bad Buffalo program to become a truly solid team. He’s shown that he can get teams back on their feet in a hurry and he’s done it at multiple stops.
His numerous seasons at Wisconsin-Whitewater included a ton of stunning success as well. The man just flat out wins and it doesn’t matter where he is. He can identify and develop talent, no matter the location. And that could benefit Mississippi State.
Pros
- Proven winner
- Program builder
- Player developer
Cons
- No SEC experience
- Doesn’t have a ton of recruiting ties to the South
- Just signed a new contract at Kansas
With Arnett lasting just one season in Starkville, the Bulldogs would benefit by hiring a guy who can stabilize the program. Leipold could deliver that. He’s won everywhere he’s been and has shown he can elevate underdogs into solid teams to face.