Kansas football DC Brian Borland says Jayhawk defense is ‘done being the weak link’
Kansas defensive coordinator Brian Borland didn’t shy away from admitting KU’s defense was a major weak point last season.
The Jayhawks ranked No. 127 in yards per game allowed (469.4) and No. 79 in red zone defense. They allowed just shy of 38 points per game against FBS opponents.
“We’ve talked a lot about being the strong link in the chain and not the weak link in the chain,” Borland said Wednesday, “so that week-in and week-out we give ourselves a chance to win regardless of whatever else happens.”
Borland pointed to two games from last season — KU beating Iowa State 14-11 and later losing to Texas 55-14 — with the common denominator being that Kansas scored 14 points. The difference: how many points Kansas allowed.
Borland believes the key to the defense this season is defensive consistency.
“We need to be more consistent that way and I do feel our guys are bought into that,” he said. “They understand that. Everybody has pride. We are done being the weak link. We are going to be the strong link in the chain this year.”
Last season, Borland received an extension that fully guaranteed his salary for the 2023 season. KU has the option to extend his contract for 2024 as well.
Meanwhile, Borland’s counterpart and KU offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki received an extension through the 2027 season. All eyes will be on the Jayhawks’ defense in 2023, considering that unit lagged behind the offense a year ago.
After a 5-0 start to the year, the KU defense allowed:
- 38 points to TCU
- 52 points to OU
- 35 points to Baylor
- 16 points to Oklahoma State
- 43 points to Texas Tech
- 55 points to Texas
- 47 points to K-State
- and 55 points to Arkansas (3OT).
There’s a lot at stake for Borland, in the final guaranteed year of his deal (though he has been with Leipold as DC every year of his coaching career). But Borland said he doesn’t feel pressure to make big changes to the defense.
“I don’t feel pressure,” Borland said. “I have confidence in myself. I have confidence in the coaches. I have confidence in what we’re doing and how we’re trying to do it.
“It would be dishonest to say we didn’t evaluate every aspect of our defense last year: our methods, our scheme, how we are coaching and what (we can) do to better prepare the guys. ... I think we’ve been able to make some changes, smaller changes, that (have) really helped us and will continue to help us.”
After only two practices, Borland remains steadfast that the defense will be better than last season.
“I have confidence we are going to be a better unit just based on the experience the guys have — the playing experience the guys have,” Borland said. “A lot of guys have (made) great physical development since the end of last season.”
One area worth watching is KU’s defensive line, which features plenty of competition for starting spots after departures at both tackle and D-end.
“I think we are faster,” Borland said. “We are a little bit more athletic overall across the front this year. Surprisingly, guys have pretty good strength numbers, too. I don’t know who the star is right now. I don’t know if we have one necessarily, but I think we’ve got 7-8 guys across the board up front that can play and can flash at times.”
Borland emphasized that KU hopes to manufacture pressure “without sending the house all the time.” Getting pressure is among the question marks for a KU team that lost its sacks leader, Lonnie Phelps, to the NFL, as well as fellow starting defensive end Malcolm Lee, who exhausted his college eligibility.
“Hayden Hatcher played quite a bit last year, and he’s played quite a bit last two years,” Borland said. “He’s put on some weight. I don’t know we for sure that, ‘Hey, we have this next pass rusher.’
“I think we are developing pieces in that area: ... guys like Dylan Brooks that we have some hope for — the Auburn transfer, a big, long body that’s pretty good. ... There’s a couple of guys we have hopes for that can step up in that area. We’ve also experimented a little bit with linebackers that maybe could be an edge rusher sometimes.”
