Washington’s coaching search could be drawing to a close this weekend.

According to a report from FootballScoop, Kansas coach Lance Leipold has emerged as the top target for the Huskies. The report says Leipold is the “epicenter” of athletic director Troy Dannen’s search to replace Kalen DeBoer as Washington’s head coach.

Leipold has spent the past three seasons at Kansas and has helped rebuild the Jayhawks’ program into a consistent winner. KU won 9 games this past season for the first time since 2007. Kansas won a combined 9 contests in the 6 seasons prior to Leipold’s arrival in Lawrence. He also took the Jayhawks to back-to-back bowl games for the first time since 2007-08.

Leipold’s time as a head coach also includes a lengthy stint at Buffalo. He won a pair of conference titles with the Bulls, including a 10-win campaign in 2018. Buffalo also won the MAC title after going 6-1 during a COVID-shortened 2020 season. He took the Bulls to three consecutive postseasons for the first time in program history.

A Wisconsin native, Leipold was the head coach at Wisconsin-Whitewater before taking over at Buffalo. In eight seasons as the head coach at Wisconsin-Whitewater, Leipold led the program to six Division III national championships.

Leipold, 59, also has some limited experience in the Big Ten. He was a graduate assistant at Wisconsin 1991-93. He was also an assistant at Nebraska from 2001-03 when the Huskers were members of the Big 12.

Including his time at Wisconsin-Whitewater, Leipold’s overall record as a head coach is 163-60.

Update (12:27 p.m. PT):

Shortly after FootballScoop’s report was published, Leipold shared a message on social media indicating he plans to remain at Kansas for the 2024 season.