LAWRENCE — Kansas football coach Lance Leipold shared some insight Wednesday into what Andy Kotelnicki’s role will be in 2026, as the Jayhawks’ associate head coach.
For one, Kotelnicki’s return to KU after a stint as the offensive coordinator at Penn State will include becoming the Jayhawks’ play-caller on offense. That’s one way, as Leipold would describe it, Kotelnicki will be heavily involved on the offensive side of the ball. But it’s not the only area Kotelnicki, a former offensive coordinator for Leipold at Kansas, will have influence as the team looks to bounce back after two straight 5-7 seasons.
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Kotelnicki is set to be even more of a right-hand man to Leipold this time around, after the coaching change at Penn State made him available. That could include playing a role in additional staff additions and evaluations, among other things. Leipold also alluded to the potential benefit of taking in the perspective of someone who’s spent time with another program, as Kotelnicki did the past two years.
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Here are some more takeaways from what Leipold had to say about how his coaching staff will operate this year:
What Andy Kotelnicki’s return to the Jayhawks means for Jim Zebrowski, Matt Lubick
Leipold made it clear that Kotelnicki will have the final say offensively, but Jim Zebrowski and Matt Lubick will remain heavily involved. Zebrowski, KU’s offensive coordinator last season, and Lubick, the co-offensive coordinator/tight ends coach, will continue to be a part of the group’s game-planning. Lubick and Zebrowski were both on staff when Kotelnicki was at Kansas prior to leaving for Penn State, in different roles, so that familiarity is there.
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Zebrowski’s title is now passing game coordinator/quarterbacks coach. He, along with Lubick, will spend time on what the Jayhawks do in the red zone. Lubick will be relied upon in Kansas’ option game.
Leipold noted he can’t thank Zebrowski enough for how professional Zebrowski has been and for understanding why this change is being made. One thing Leipold appreciated was that Zebrowski’s main focus was on continuing to coach the quarterbacks as he had in the past. Leipold assured Zebrowski he’d still have a role on staff and that Kotelnicki wanted to keep him here, too.
Joe Dineen becomes KU’s new defensive ends coach
Taiwo Onatolu served as Kansas’ special teams coordinator/defensive ends coach last season, but this year Joe Dineen will hold the title of defensive ends coach. Dineen is a former star player for the Jayhawks whose early years in coaching have seen him spend time at SMU, Illinois and Purdue in various roles, before he recently returned to KU as an analyst. Leipold described Dineen as an outstanding young coach who brings energy, and thinks Dineen can help the defensive ends group take a step forward.
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Why Taiwo Onatolu is now, specifically, Kansas’ special teams coordinator
Onatolu remains on staff, but he’ll, specifically, be the team’s special teams coordinator this year. Leipold detailed that, in discussions with defensive coordinator D.K. McDonald, he and McDonald decided that one way to improve on that side of the ball was to not have Onatolu balance two areas of the game over the course of a day. Leipold thinks Kansas performed well on special teams in 2025, but added this move — taking advantage of more coaching rules flexibility in today’s landscape — can also help that area of KU’s team take a step forward.
Sept. 7, 2024; University Park, Pennsylvania; Then Penn State football’s offensive coordinator, Andy Kotelnicki walks on the field during a warm up prior to a game against Bowling Green at Beaver Stadium.
Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Andy Kotelnicki will call plays for Kansas football’s offense in 2026
