Andy Kotelnicki to return as associate head coach
Kansas is bringing back a familiar name to the program.
Andy Kotelnicki, one of the key figures behind the most productive offenses in program history, will return to the Kansas football staff for the 2026 season as associate head coach. The move reunites Kotelnicki with head coach Lance Leipold, who he has worked for 11 seasons across stops at Kansas, Buffalo and UW–Whitewater.
“We are excited to welcome Andy and his family back to Lawrence,” Leipold said. “Andy is familiar with our staff and culture, has run successful offenses for nearly two decades, and his experience over the past two seasons at Penn State will add to our program in a variety of ways. Having worked with Andy for 11 years, I’m looking forward to him rejoining this current staff as associate head coach.”
[Thoughts: What Kotelnicki returning means for KU]
Kotelnicki returns to Lawrence after two seasons at Penn State, where he helped guide the program to a Fiesta Bowl win, a College Football Playoff semifinal appearance, and strong finishes in both seasons. In 2024, Penn State led the nation in first downs and explosive plays, highlighted with efficiency and balance that have long been a part of Kotelnicki’s offenses.
“I care deeply about the University of Kansas, and my family and I are thrilled to be back at a university that has been so good to us,” Andy Kotelnicki said. “Working alongside Coach Leipold has been one of the highlights of my career, and I’m excited to rejoin him and the entire staff at KU. I’m very grateful to Coach, Athletic Director Travis Goff and Chancellor Doug Girod for welcoming us back. I can’t wait to get to work.”
During his previous three-year run at Kansas, Kotelnicki oversaw an offense that helped lift the program to back-to-back bowl appearances for just the second time in school history. The 2022 and 2023 teams became two of the three highest-scoring offenses Kansas has ever fielded, setting school records for yards per play and consistently ranking among the nation’s most explosive units.
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