photo by: Andy Eisch/Photo courtesy of KU Athletics

Kansas interim head football coach Emmett Jones leads players through a drill during a spring practice at the team's indoor facility.

As the search for the next head football coach at the University of Kansas comes closer to a conclusion, the Lawrence Journal-World is taking a look at some of the potential candidates to lead the Jayhawks into the 2021 season.

What might make a certain contender appealing to Travis Goff, as KU’s athletic director tries to identify the right person for the job?

Here’s an overview of three selling points Emmett Jones has to offer.

Continuity

A litany of issues has led to the Kansas football team’s ongoing struggles, but many of those are connected to the program’s instability within its offices. Not only have four head coaches come and gone since KU forced Mark Mangino out after the 2009 season, but players all over the field have had to adjust to new position coaches and coordinators with regularity, too.

If Goff decides to make an outside hire and give the program yet another reboot, the next head coach almost certainly would want to hire his own assistants, and if there are any holdovers from the current staff they will be few.

Jones, KU’s current interim coach, has been with the team for more than two years and if given the job on a permanent basis would bring the Jayhawks some continuity and normalcy heading into the 2021 season.

The team is wrapping up its 15-practice spring football schedule this week and it has been Jones and the current assistants leading the team through it all. Bringing in a new head coach and staff after spring ball would mean more adjustments for the players between now and the start of preseason camp.

Promoting Jones would allow the players, who just went through an unanticipated coaching change, to build off of what’s been put in place this spring and take more of a business as usual approach moving forward.

Approval rating

Upon Jones’ arrival in Lawrence in December of 2018, he quickly became one of the more popular staff members in the team’s facility.

Considered a players’ coach by many of the Jayhawks currently on the roster, several have lauded Jones for his no nonsense and high energy approach on the field. A number of players went as far as to openly campaign on Twitter for Jones to get the job

Goff said at his introductory press conference early in April that part of his process for assessing the football program would involve hearing the players’ thoughts. Many of the players would love for Jones to become the team’s permanent head coach.

Recruiting

A Dallas native and former Texas Tech assistant, Jones’ appeal with players, prospects and their families has made him arguably KU’s most important recruiter over the past two-plus years.

As a receivers coach and passing game coordinator, Jones has helped KU land promising players at numerous positions on both sides of the ball.

If given the opportunity to be the face of the program, Jones’ recruiting prowess may be allowed to shine even brighter.