Kansas coach Lance Leipold watches from the sideline during the first half of an NCAA college football game against West Virginia in Morgantown, W.Va., Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022. (AP Photo/Kathleen Batten)

Kansas football coach Lance Leipold, whose name has surfaced on media lists projecting possible candidates to replace Scott Frost at Nebraska, had little to say about the connection during Tuesday’s KU football press conference.

Asked at the start of his regular weekly meeting with the media if he had seen the lists or had any had any reaction to them, Leipold smiled, shook his head briefly and said, “No. I’m focused on this football team and getting ready for Houston, but appreciate you asking.”

The rest of the questions on Tuesday were either about the Cougars or the 2-0 start by Leipold’s Jayhawks in his second year in Lawrence.

Leipold was hired by KU in the spring of 2021 after a successful stint at Buffalo. At the time, he signed a six-year contract worth $16.5 million. Earlier this season, before KU’s Week 1 win over Tennessee Tech, Leipold received a one-year extension, keeping him under contract at Kansas through the 2027 season.

KU Athletic Director Travis Goff said then that adding a year to Leipold’s original six-year deal was a demonstration of “exceptional confidence” the university has in Leipold and his coaching staff.

A few days later, Leipold called the gesture “very humbling and appreciated” and noted that stability was a key part of making progress during a rebuild.

“That continuity and stability is something we’ve talked about and this extension will give us something to add to that,” the KU coach said. “When you are looking at what this program has gone through, those are good signs to the locker room, recruiting, fan base, anyone who is affiliated with this or could be at some time in their life. I think this is all good.”

Kansas will travel to Houston this weekend for a 3 p.m. kickoff against its future Big 12 foe, which has opened the season with a 1-1 record.

Both of Houston’s games have gone to multiple overtimes, and the two programs already have played six overtimes between them this season.

“You know you’re going to be in a four-quarter — could be a four-quarter-plus, obviously — game with them,” Leipold said of Houston, which is led by former West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen. “They’re highly dynamic. Heading into the season they’re a team people talked about as this year’s version of Cincinnati and being a team in the College Football Playoff. (They have) speed in all positions of importance, size, (a good) offensive line, an experienced quarterback who can keep plays alive with his feet. A lot of things that will present a huge challenge for us and we’ll have to be ready to take another step.”

KU’s clash with Houston is slated to be the first nationally televised game of the season for the Jayhawks. It will air on ESPNU at 3 p.m. from TDECU Stadium.

KU’s first two games were shown on Big 12 Now and ESPN+.

Earlier this week, KU announced that it’s Week 4 clash with Duke — Sept. 24 at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium — was slated for an 11 a.m. kickoff and would be televised on FS1.