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The University of Kansas was fined $25,000 by the Big 12 after it was discovered that head football coach Lance Leipold made “an inaccurate statement” about a pocket knife found on his bench during a recent game.
Leipold said a pocket knife “was thrown and hit one of our staff members” during the Jayhawks’ 42-17 loss to Texas Tech on Saturday. Texas Tech officials confirmed a pocket knife was found on the Jayhawks sideline and they are investigating game day video. The Big 12 did not specify what part of Leipold’s statement was inaccurate.
However, the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal reported that Texas Tech’s review, which was sent to the Big 12, said the “best possible video available to us” showed a Kansas “student-athlete” pick up the knife and immediately hand it to a Kansas staff member.
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Kansas Jayhawks head coach Lance Leipold looks at the scoreboard during the game between Fresno State and Kansas at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium on August 23, 2025.
“We believe this video clearly shows the origin of the pocket knife, which will refute any claims that it may have been thrown from the stands, and certainly clearly shows that it did not hit any KU personnel on the sideline. There also does not appear to have been any reaction from anyone on the KU sideline to it being thrown onto the field before being recovered,” the study reportedly said.
Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark said Leipold’s comments “call into question the integrity and professionalism of the Conference and a member institution.”
“I appreciate the Big 12 Conference’s thorough review of the events that took place during our game last Saturday at Texas Tech. I accept their findings and final decision,” Leipold said in a statement. “I had an emotional reaction after the game and recognize I need to be better. We’re excited to move forward and finish our season strong.”
Texas Tech was also fined $25,000 for fans throwing objects onto the field, for which the team was penalized twice. The school had a long tradition of throwing tortillas on the field, but officials voted 15-1 to ban the act before the season.
Texas Tech fans throw tortillas before a Big 12 Conference football game Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock. (Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
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“After a formal review, Texas Tech failed to take sufficient steps to prevent and deter repeated throwing of objects onto the field and team benches,” Yormark said in his statement.
“I mean, it’s supposed to be for safety and things like that, and it’s a culture that’s been accepted to a certain point, and it hasn’t changed. And ultimately, someone’s going to get seriously hurt, unfortunately,” Leipold said after the game.
Leipold was animated during his postgame handshake with Red Raiders head coach Joey McGuire, calling the actions “bulls—.”
“Coach, there’s nothing I can do about it. Do you want me to do something about it?” » asked McGuire.
Head coach Joey McGuire of the Texas Tech Red Raiders and head coach Lance Leipold of the Kansas Jayhawks speak at midfield after the game at Jones AT&T Stadium on October 11, 2025 in Lubbock, Texas. (John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
The Red Raiders are ranked seventh in the AP poll and face Arizona State this weekend to improve to 7-0.
