Lance Leipold, who has walked the halls of countless high schools while on the recruiting trail during his 19 seasons as a college head coach and 17 as an assistant, has recognized the importance and significance of grassroots football ever since his emergence as a star quarterback at Jefferson High in Wisconsin earned him a scholarship at Wisconsin-Whitewater.
In gratitude for the pipeline of players supplied to Kansas during the Leipold era the last five years, KU Athletics, at the request of Leipold, has offered a tribute to state of Kansas high school players and coaches via a display on the main concourse of the new “Booth” — David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.
The helmet of every Kansas state title winner from the 2024 season will be available for all to see during the season opener against Fresno State (Aug. 23) under the words “Champions are born in Kansas.”
Indeed the helmets of 2024 state champs Gardner-Edgerton (6A), St. Thomas Aquinas (5A), Andover Central (4A), Andale (3A), SE-Saline (2A), Conway Springs (1A), Hoxie (8 man Div. I), Axtell (8 man D-II), Weskan (6 man) and Manhattan Eagles (Kansas Approved School) are, in the words of KU deputy AD/chief strategy officer Collin Sexton, “proudly displayed” in the new “Booth.”
Leipold said “part of the idea” came from the Green Bay Packers. The NFL team honors high school football in the state of Wisconsin in the Lambeau Field Atrium, a five-story building on the east side of the Green Bay Packers’ stadium.
Leipold attended many games during his eight years as Whitewater coach. He also was an assistant at Whitewater for three seasons.
“I thought we could kind of copy that in some form,” Leipold said. “... As we talked about since our arrival, recruiting the state and recognizing the efforts of the high school programs, the high school coaches and all those things were going to be important to us. And I thought it was a way that we could try to recognize them in the stadium.”
Leipold has another idea involving high school football and KU.
“Again as we talked about it, nothing against anything in the past or anything, but hoping that when the stadium is complete … the possibility of state championships and things being played here is something I’ve talked with coach (Chris) Klieman at K-State about,” Leipold said. “Even tossing the idea of alternating the site for the championship between the two universities (at Bill Snyder Family Stadium and David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium).
“I think the state championship should be played in the FBS. Nothing against any other locations, but I think it’s a great exposure, a great experience for young men, and all these things can tie together down the road. Possibly the idea was whichever site the KU-K-State game would be played, the other school would host (state title game or games) that year and try to formulate that way. We don’t play (each other) the last weekend. I know there’d be scheduling things there, but again, all those things are about the future use of this stadium. ...
“But of course, recognizing and sharing our appreciation of high schools here (is important),” Leipold continued.
In 2024, Emporia State played host to the 4A, 5A and 6A high school state title games; Hutchinson Community College played host to Class 1A, 2A and 3A and Greensburg- Kiowa County High School 8-man Div. I and II. In previous years, state title sites included Pittsburg State, Fort Hays State, Salina District Stadium and sites in Topeka.
KU and K-State also have played host to state title games in the past. In fact, KU last hosted in 2003 (Class 6A, 5A), while Manhattan last hosted 6A and 5A title games in 1998.
