Kansas athletic director Sheahon Zenger listens as new football coach Charlie Weis takes questions during a news conference on Friday, Dec. 9, 2011 at the Anderson Family Football Complex.

Kansas University athletic director Sheahon Zenger said that Mike Leach let him know before he brought his list of 12-to-15 candidates to Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little that Leach had found a university (Washington State) he felt would fit him better.

Gray-Little, Zenger said, did not block Leach from being considered. Zenger said had Leach not told him he was more interested in going to Washington State, he would have been on his list.

“No, we didn’t,” Zenger said when asked if he and Leach talked about his lawsuits. “I didn’t have to ask that question. That’s something we talked about a year ago, his situation, but again, that’s personal.”

Weis was the last coach Zenger talked to, and he said after meeting Florida’s offensive coordinator he was convinced he would be an excellent recruiter.

“He recruited me,” Zenger said. “He’s very engaging.”

Zenger said he talked to “five-to-10 people” about Weis, including calls made to those who worked with him at Notre Dame. Zenger said he called Florida coach Will Muschamp at about 2 a.m. Thursday and left a message letting him know he would like to talk to Weis. Hours later, Muschamp returned the call and granted permission.

Zenger’s next call was to Weis, who was not surprised because some of those Zenger had called about him had let Weis know the Kansas AD was asking about him.

The AD and his new coach met at Weis’ home in Ocala, Fla., Thursday and flew to New Jersey because, Zenger said, “That’s where the chancellor was.”

Zenger said Weis appealed to him because of his personality, his successful history with quarterbacks and, “the discipline, the attention to detail, the work ethic. It’s that and his family. From what I’ve heard, he gets here at about 4:30 in the morning. I’d like to visit with him for coffee once in a while.”