[2024] What the coaching carousel news of late means for Kansas

[Bundy]

Amid a flurry of coaching carousel news, and despite clinching their 3rd straight postseason bowl game, Kansas and coach @Bundy have had "no talks" of extension, per insider reporting.

After going 5-7 and losing to hated Missouri in 2021, Kansas rebounded during the rest of the duration of the coach's initial 4-year contract with the school, going 8-4 with a blowout win over Missouri in 2022, 7-5 with another win over Missouri in 2023, and 6-6 in 2024. However, Kansas has notably struggled with in-state rival Kansas State, going 1-3 over the time. 

Some refer to the noted 2023 public beef between the coach and QB Tyler Summers as part of the reason of Kansas hesitancy, citing the public disapproval as "inappropriate" and "unwarranted," especially once the coach turned to PR/RB/ATH Aaron Diaz as the signal caller against Oklahoma, which resulted in a 42-21 stunning loss. 

Kansas has ranked consistently at or near the Top 25 of recruiting, with many ranking the team's true talent as being a Top 25 team. So a track record of underperforming against both rivals and other local or conference teams (3-4 in rivalry games, 5-5 against Iowa State/Oklahoma/Oklahoma State/Nebraska) could signal the administration to seek out a new coach.

Still, coach @Bundy has seen lots of success, particularly in the running game and driving growth in young players. In 2022, his trio of Cody Casspi, Marcell Maysonet, and Bene' Humber all (or nearly, in Humber's case) cracked 1000 season rushing yards, while in 2024 Cody Casspi single-handedly breached the 2,000 yard seasonal mark. 2023 saw LB Sung Franzese take home Big 12 Freshman of the Year for defense, while FS Eric Gaherty has been linked to All Conference potential as a true sophomore in 2024. OG David Hager has already started 25 games as a true sophomore, with fellow interior OL Jesus Hernandes and Enrique Guerra each starting 12 games during their 2024 redshirt freshman seasons.

If @Bundy isn't seen as "the coach" in Lawrence, where else could he go?

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Wisconsin

The easiest and most clear competitor for the coach's services, Wisconsin has been a contending team to date, with a high volume passing offense that produced 1st Round pick Alex Williams III in the 2022 draft, as well as UDFA QB turned 1-game pro starter Austin Bishop. Wisconsin makes the most sense, with rumors of them pursuing the Kansas coach dating back to their midseason departure of @kwheele. @Bundy of course has raided the state plenty in recruiting, with a built in familiarity with most prominent high school programs. DE Robert Wims, a (SO) starter for Kansas who recorded 44 tackles and 5.0 sacks in 2024, came out of Wisconsin, as well as backup QBs William Abshire (saw playing time including 37 rushing yards and a TD) and Robert Lemberger (of the St. Mary's Springs dynasty), with DT Cesar Westerman, DE Kevon Jeter, and FS Blake Godfrey also seeing time for Kansas in 2024 after being recruited out of America's Dairyland. 

@Bundy grew up about an hour northeast of the UW campus, and should be high on the priority list when it comes to Wisconsin's coaching search.

Miami (FL)

Expected to be a highly coveted job, Miami seems like a stretch at first until we look closer at a few things. Following the departures of coachs @cultur3 and interim coach @kwheele, Miami is looking for stability. They struggled to a 6-6 effort in the ACC in 2024, with currently the 49th ranked recruiting class in the uber-fertile recruiting grounds of South Florida. Bringing in a @Bundy-like coach to lock down the area in terms of recruiting would at the least be a massive step towards national relevance. However, Miami will likely get their choice of coaches out of this coaching carousel, and thus, Bundy appears to be on the outside.

Ohio State

This one isn't happening, Ohio State spurned again. They might as well have painted big Mizzew M's on their helmets with this one.

Mississippi State

Although very unlikely to happen, Mississippi State could search for a coach like @Bundy to, like Miami, lock in local talent. Mississippi State currently has the 39th ranked recruiting class, but Bundy has recruited the south relatively well for a school like Kansas. Stretching from Louisiana to the tidewaters (so LA, AL, MS, TN, NC, GA, VA, SC), Bundy has brought in 16 recruits over the last 3 classes, including

2021 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ K Jake Ramirez (Havelock, NC)

2021 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ CB Ross Patton (Fairfax, VA)

2022 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ QB Joseph Perkins (Nashville, GA)

2022 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ TE Frank Greco (Wilmington, NC)

2023 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ CB Elbert Jackson (Monroe, LA)

2023 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ OLB Brian Bartels (Semmes, AL)

2023 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ QB Jeffrey Eagle (Enterprise, AL)

A trio of classes like this for Mississippi State would have a surge in local buy-in. Kansas brought in a committment from another Alabama 4-star in 2024 (DT Tyrone Silver), while Mississippi State brought in just 3 blue chip recruits total in the 2024 cycle. 

 

Again, time will tell what happens hear, as neither the University nor the head ball coach have made public comment on their supposed contract standoff. 

[tsweezy]

Ew looking at kwheeles sloppy seconds huh? Also is this just a thinly veiled ad for your recruiting prowess?