Kansas football fall camp: A look at how D.K. McDonald will operate as defensive coordinator

LAWRENCE — D.K. McDonald is in the midst of his first fall camp as Kansasfootball’s defensive coordinator, following Brian Borland’s retirement.

Here are some takeaways from what McDonald had to say recently, as those practices have continued:

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Where will D.K. McDonald call plays from?

McDonald didn’t reveal if he would call plays from the field or up in the press box. He said they are still working through that as a coaching staff. Wherever he calls plays from, he noted, the Jayhawks’ defense will still try to play fast, physical, and for each other.

Why did Kansas bring in transfers Syeed Gibbs and Alex Bray?

McDonald said they had wanted to add another defensive back, so bringing in Georgia Tech’s Syeed Gibbs as a late transfer fit the plan. Gibbs, a redshirt junior cornerback, stood out on film and has been even better than anticipated. From McDonald’s perspective, Gibbs also has leadership abilities that are being showcased more and more as his comfort with the defense grows.

In Alex Bray, McDonald sees someone who has also played college football at a high level and been productive. Bray is a junior defensive end who transferred in late from Illinois. McDonald described Bray as being capable of moving around to different spots in different packages.

What does D.K. McDonald think about the competition at linebacker and defensive tackle?

McDonald likes the progress he’s seen at linebacker because there’s competition for playing time, and he thinks that brings out the best in everyone. Not just at that position, but elsewhere in the defense, he thinks guys know if they have a bad day, they could drop down the depth chart. So, there’s a commitment from everyone to take care of their minds and their bodies.

McDonald also noted that while depth is valuable at every position, it’s especially important at defensive tackle when you’re dealing with a position where guys likely won’t be playing 70 snaps each game. It’s a rotational position, so it’s critical that the level of play doesn’t drop off. He specified how vital they will be to stopping the run, and noted that the younger players there are adding depth as well.

Which players are in contention to be the one Kansas turns toward if it uses a nickel defense?

McDonald didn’t name anyone specifically, but did say they have quite a few guys working to be that fifth defensive back on the field if they use that kind of formation defensively. This fall camp will, in part, be about finding someone the Jayhawks can rely upon in that manner. Marvin Grant, who was a safety for the team in 2024 and is now pursuing a professional career, is someone McDonald highlighted as an individual who filled that role for KU last year.

Will Kansas’ defense have the potential to use multiple formations?

McDonald thinks it’s just the state of football nowadays, being able to be multiple. He noted it’s not as if a defense can just sit in one look, and expect to stop the various offenses in the Big 12 Conference. He anticipates using different packages, fronts, and coverages, following a 2024 season in which the Jayhawks routinely started four defensive linemen.

Finding that balance between having it look complicated on the outside, but simple to those on the inside, comes down to depending on people. One of the lessons McDonald has learned from the coaches he’s been around in his career is engaging with the players so he knows what they are capable of — and therefore what the defense is capable of. He wants to try to confuse the quarterback, attack the offensive line, and cover the wide receivers.

Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at [email protected] or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas football fall camp insight: How D.K. McDonald will be as DC