Leipold Ranked 78th by ESPN on List of 150 Greatest Coaches of All Time
12/10/2019 3:56:00 PM | Football
BUFFALO, NY – ESPN revealed its list of the 150 greatest coaches in college football's 150-year history on Tuesday and University at Buffalo head coach Lance Leipold came in at number 78. Buffalo's fifth-year head coach is one of only nine active coaches on the list.
"I'm very humbled and flattered to be mentioned in that company," Leipold said. "It is truly the work of the student-athletes, assistant coaches and staff members that I have been blessed to work with that makes something like this occur."
Leipold was named the 25th head coach in the history of the Buffalo football program prior to the 2015 season and has taken the program to new heights since. After only enjoying two bowl-eligible seasons over UB's first 18 years as an FBS program, Leipold has led the Bulls to bowl eligibility in each of the last three seasons. The 23 wins over the last three years are the most over a three-year span in school history and the Bulls have won seven or more games in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1958 and 1959.
After guiding a young Buffalo squad to a 7-5 regular season in 2019, the Bulls have been invited to play in the Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl on December 20. This comes on the heels of a 2018 campaign in which UB won a school-record 10 games, a MAC East Division title and a berth in the Dollar General Bowl. He was named the 2018 Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year.
Leipold came to UB from Wisconsin-Whitewater where he compiled an astounding 109-6 record and won six Division III National Championships over his eight seasons. A six-time National Coach of the Year, Leipold reached 100 career victories faster than any other coach in NCAA history – at any level.
As part of ESPN's year-long CFB150 project celebrating the 150th anniversary of college football, a blue-ribbon panel was convened to vote on the sport's greatest players, coaches and games.
The group of 150 voters is made up of influential figures and minds from across college football, including current and former writers, broadcasters, administrators, sports information directors and ESPN personalities.
Click here to see ESPN's entire list.
"I'm very humbled and flattered to be mentioned in that company," Leipold said. "It is truly the work of the student-athletes, assistant coaches and staff members that I have been blessed to work with that makes something like this occur."
Leipold was named the 25th head coach in the history of the Buffalo football program prior to the 2015 season and has taken the program to new heights since. After only enjoying two bowl-eligible seasons over UB's first 18 years as an FBS program, Leipold has led the Bulls to bowl eligibility in each of the last three seasons. The 23 wins over the last three years are the most over a three-year span in school history and the Bulls have won seven or more games in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1958 and 1959.
After guiding a young Buffalo squad to a 7-5 regular season in 2019, the Bulls have been invited to play in the Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl on December 20. This comes on the heels of a 2018 campaign in which UB won a school-record 10 games, a MAC East Division title and a berth in the Dollar General Bowl. He was named the 2018 Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year.
Leipold came to UB from Wisconsin-Whitewater where he compiled an astounding 109-6 record and won six Division III National Championships over his eight seasons. A six-time National Coach of the Year, Leipold reached 100 career victories faster than any other coach in NCAA history – at any level.
As part of ESPN's year-long CFB150 project celebrating the 150th anniversary of college football, a blue-ribbon panel was convened to vote on the sport's greatest players, coaches and games.
The group of 150 voters is made up of influential figures and minds from across college football, including current and former writers, broadcasters, administrators, sports information directors and ESPN personalities.
Click here to see ESPN's entire list.
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