KU football’s defense has made a leap. And the Jayhawks just snapped 100-year streak
Kansas wide receiver Luke Grimm subtly smiled when a reporter asked about KU’s defensive improvement in a 4-0 start to this season.
After all, he gets a firsthand viewing of it in every practice. The rest of the world is just catching up.
KU’s defensive prowess was displayed in its 38-27 win over BYU on Saturday at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. The Jayhawks (4-0, 1-0 Big 12 play) forced three turnovers, each leading to a touchdown.
Grimm wasn’t exactly surprised.
“From spring ball to fall camp to now, we’re going extremely physical during practice,” Grimm said. “We’re busting our balls out there. We’re doing 15 plays (with) no break, offense vs. defense, just going through the hardships of it. There’s not a person on the offense that’s going to tell you this defense hasn’t gotten better in the last six months.”
KU now finds itself 4-0 for the second consecutive season — for the first time since 1914-15.
Kansas coach Lance Leipold is in his third season of coaching the Jayhawks. After winning at every other stop, he has brought winning ways to Lawrence and built a palpable national buzz around the Jayhawks.
He took over a program that hadn’t won more than three games since 2009 and was 2-10 in his first season. Last season, Leipold led the Jayhawks to their first bowl game in 14 years.
Yet he was still surprised by the 4-0-record fun fact.
“I’m glad I didn’t do all my research,” Leipold joked.
Amid the laughter in the room, Kansas athletic director Travis Goff interjected,” Come on, man.”
Leipold continued, “Sometimes you don’t know what you are really stepping into until you get there. But I tell you what: Like I told our team, I really am proud of them, when you look at the short time (of) what we’ve been able to do. ...
“But we’re a third through the season. We have to keep going.”
So far, the Jayhawks have passed each test — particularly on defense.
Last season, Kansas ranked No. 127 in total defense. KU defensive coordinator Brian Borland challenged his defense on “being the strong link in the chain and not the weak link.”
It’s a mentality that Kansas’ defensive players have taken to heart.
“Offense gets all the credit,” said KU safety O.J. Burroughs. “Coach (Borland) got this new slang — he got a chain. He wants us to be the strong link. We just go by that motto, making sure we do our (job), 1 (out of) 11, each and every day for these moments.”
KU’s defense set the tone of Saturday’s game early. Kansas cornerback Cobee Bryant delivered a massive hit to wide receiver Parker Kingston and forced a fumble. Bryant recovered the ball and ran it back for a touchdown.
It started a pattern of the KU defense delivering momentum-shifting plays that helped KU win. Less than 30 seconds into the second half, KU safety Kenny Logan intercepted a tipped ball and took it to the house to put Kansas up 21-17.
Finally, Bryant picked off an underthrown ball by BYU quarterback Kedon Slovis. That eventually led to seven points.
KU’s defense also only allowed nine rushing yards on 22 attempts.
That said — Slovis still threw for 357 yards and BYU went 8-for-16 on third- and fourth-down attempts. But the overall performance was strong, and the internal belief from KU’s defensive players is at an all-time high.
“I feel like this defense is one of the best in the country,” Burroughs said. “Everybody is doing their job. I feel like (we’re) one of the best.”
They’ll get their chance to prove it next week. The Jayhawks will face their biggest test of the season against a top-5 Texas team in Austin.
The game will be on ABC, so there will be plenty of eyeballs for the KU football defense — and the rest of the team — to show out in front of.
The Jayhawks will look to prove they aren’t a one-bowl wonder, or one of the woeful teams of the past. Even last season’s team started 5-0 and finished with one win the rest of the season.
It’s not lost on Leipold that KU has been in a similar position as recently as last year. He doesn’t want his team to taper off or get complacent. It’s something he’s preached since the spring.
“We’ve got to stay hungry and (have) the work ethic we talk about each and every week when we show up on Monday,” Leipold said. ”I mean, we had some self-inflicted penalties again that kind of put us in a tough position.
“Going on the road is tough and the opponent is going to be even tougher, all those things. This group knows we need to stay healthy, but I think there’s that experience and maturity with this locker room now that they understand. They want to make sure it’s a consistent season as we play it out.”
This story was originally published September 23, 2023 at 9:35 PM with the headline "KU football’s defense has made a leap. And the Jayhawks just snapped 100-year streak."
