Andy Kotelnicki, Lance Leipold detail reunion at Kansas

As Penn State navigated a coaching change this offseason, it became clear that Andy Kotelnicki would be looking for a new opportunity. After conversations with Lance Leipold and investigating other opportunities, Kotelnicki decided to rejoin the Kansas staff.

Kotelnicki served as the Jayhawks’ offensive coordinator from 2021-23. After two years at Penn State, Kotelnicki returned to Kansas under the title of associate head coach. Leipold and Kotelnicki met with the media on Wednesday for the first time since the reunion became official.

They discussed what made Kotelnicki want to return to Lawrence and what his role will look like as associate head coach.

What brought Kotelnicki back to Kansas

Kotelnicki had his share of opportunities at different places as he went through the job process. Leipold said he and Kotelnicki remained in touch over his time at Penn State, and the two had discussions about what a return to Kansas might look like.

“As we progressed, just talking about, you know, kind of his, what was next to him, I kind of floated it out there that depending how things shook out, that I would be very interested in finding a role here for him,” Leipold said. “Andy had a lot of opportunities, and I’ll say it now, I’ll say it again, that Andy Kotelnicki will be a head coach someday and probably someday soon. And he had opportunities to explore some of those again.” 

As Kotelnicki investigated other opportunities, he made a checklist of what he desired out of his next coaching stop. He wanted his family to be happy, a good quality of life, coaches that love coaching, players that love improving, and a place he could win at. That checklist led him back to Kansas.

“I had that criteria. I said, that’s what matters to me,” Kotelnicki said. “And as I talked to universities and schools and individuals and whatever, professional teams, I wanted this, this was a place that checked all those boxes. So that is kind of my journey to come back.”

Leipold wasn’t necessarily looking to make a coaching change. He said they would’ve stayed at the status quo if Kotelnicki was available. Leipold trusted first-year coordinators Jim Zebrowski and D.K. McDonald. However, he also understood that Kansas didn’t meet expectations last year and evaluated how to improve.

“The thing that I’m excited about with Andy is this: people want to come back to Kansas. We walked into a program where people couldn’t wait to get out of here fast enough,” Leipold said. “Also with that, we have changed the expectations in this program and now they’re harder to match. And we have to match them, and we will match them. And we understand that part of that success has changed how we go about things.”

‘Andy will be the play-caller’

Kotelnicki’s return shuffles the roles of the offensive staff, serving as the Jayhawks’ play-caller. Leipold said offensive coordinator Jim Zebrowski will be the passing game coordinator. Co-offensive coordinator/tight ends coach Matt Lubick will remain heavily involved in the offense. It’s the same trio that led Kansas to some of its best offenses in program history in the 2022 and 2023. The Jayhawks averaged 7.0 yards per play in both seasons.

“Everybody has input and roles,” Leipold said. “I think there’ll be definitive things that we’ll work on that. Matt will be heavily involved in our, and he has been since he was an analyst, our option game. And Jim and Matt will be involved in red zone and things like that. But ultimate terminology, day-to-day things of where it’s at, Andy will have the final say.”

One of the first things Kotelnicki talked about with Leipold was keeping Zebrowski in a role in the offense. He said the two have a great relationship together and bring out the best in one another.

“It was a concern because I think, you know, Jim brings out the best in me and I bring out the best in him,” Kotelnicki said. “And I think that we complement each other so well in his style and my style and bouncing back and forth.”

As associate head coach, Kotelnicki’s duties will also extend to matters on a program level. Leipold described Kotelnicki as his right-hand man in moving the program forward.

“Whether it be with any other staff additions, evaluations, things like that, he’ll be involved with me in a lot of different things,” Leipold said. “Again, I can’t say there’s going to be a ton of difference than when it was when he was here as a coordinator and as an associate head coach before, but probably a little more in depth in some areas.”