It's all systems go for the Jayhawks under 4th-year KU AD Travis Goff

I can’t tell you how many times in the past year or two that I’ve heard people mention to me how the University of Kansas athletic department is in the best shape they’ve seen it in years — maybe ever.

Coaches. Athletes. Staff members. Fans. Alums. Media members.

Dozens and dozens of people who fall in those categories, and others, have taken note not only of the successes of KU’s athletic programs across the board, but also of the culture that exists within the department.

While hundreds of people are behind the Jayhawks’ success, there’s one man who is the reason for all of it.

And one of the reasons KU AD Travis Goff is the reason for this golden era in Kansas Athletics is because he’d be the first to tell you he’s not.

Earlier this summer, Goff received a contract extension and significant pay raise that will push his annual salary well past the million-dollar mark and keep him tied to KU through at least 2031.

Never one to take too much credit for anything KU’s teams accomplish, Goff has been a huge supporter of all of them since his arrival in April of 2021.

Yeah, that’s his job. So, it’s not like he’s doing anything out of the ordinary. But it’s the way he’s gone about it that has made him and the results stand out.

He has inspired a department and fan base to move forward in lock step, with what’s best for Kansas — the school and the state — at the forefront of their thoughts and actions.

He has made high-quality hires — some you know about and others you don’t — and surrounded himself with like-minded people who work hard, operate with pride and push forward with confidence and conviction to create the current winning culture that exists.

All of this, by the way, while absolutely crushing the department’s top goal of fixing football. Not only did Goff make the right hire there in Lance Leipold, but he and Leipold, along with the rest of the staff and the players on that roster, have put Kansas football in the best position I've ever seen in terms of the ultimate goal of sustained success.

That’s a monster feat, one that KU’s AD merely shrugs at, credits others for and says he's just doing his job.

Goff was ready for this job when he took it. He’s done a fabulous job with it in his first three years. And he was absolutely deserving of the raise and extension that figure to keep him at KU well into the future.

When I heard the news of Goff’s extension, one of the first things that hit me was how he stacks up to those who came before him.

KU has had some good ADs over the years, but very few of them have been the total package.

The ones who were shrewd businessmen with a cutthroat approach to getting things done, didn’t have quite the right personal touch. The ones who led with their hearts weren’t always as tough and tenacious as the job requires.

Those who made great hires weren’t quite as adept in the other aspects of the job. And those who had good leadership skills and experience didn’t always make the right hires.

Goff, however, possesses the best traits of all of those former KU ADs, all in a powerful and productive package.

When you view it that way, it makes perfect sense that the department is in the shape it’s in today.

One of Goff’s best traits is the way he connects with people. He projects as the kind of guy you want to be around, the kind of guy you want to work for and the kind of guy you want to work hard for, too.

While that keeps the staff humming, it’s the KU student-athletes who really benefit from his approach — both from Goff directly and from the overall vibe that exists within their programs. Most of them are keenly aware of the standard he sets and many try to live up to that.

And it’s not just the Ochai Agbajis and Jalon Daniels of the world with whom he likes to associate.

Goff is just as likely to tell you how impressed he is with high jumper Devin Loudermilk — even going as far as to remember the name of Loudermilk’s hometown (Howard, Kansas) — or how thankful he is for the young women on the KU golf team and all of the other sports across the board.

That’s not to say the others didn’t, but it’s undeniable that Goff’s leadership has taken Kansas Athletics to new heights.

Sellout streaks, new facilities, program firsts, major undertakings, and program records, in competition and the classroom.

A lot of guys before him spent a lot of time trying to do what they thought was best for Kansas and to position KU as one of the leaders in college athletics.

As the Big 12 enters into a new era, with 16 schools but also without Texas and Oklahoma, KU seems to be in prime position to be one of the conference’s leaders.

Goff will tell you Kansas was in that position even with the two schools departing for the SEC.

He believes in KU and he believes in the people around him. They, in turn, believe in him and that all works together in a way that we haven’t quite seen before.

And it should be fun to continue watching as Year 4 of the Goff era begins next month with KU's highly anticipated fall sports seasons.

— For tickets to all KU athletic events, visit kuathletics.com