Kansas football: D-line has surprisingly become strength of the defense

Coming into the season, the biggest question mark on defense was the Kansas football front four, but it has quickly established itself as the strong point of that unit.

The Kansas Jayhawks defense struggled mightily in 2022, which was a substantial reason why they finished the season with a 1–7 record. While it has had its flaws this year, Kansas football has made significant improvements on the defensive end.

A specific position group that has stood out from the rest has been the defensive line. Through four games, it has recorded 10 of KU’s 11 sacks, and the Jayhawks entered their tilt against BYU leading the nation in tackles for loss.

Minnesota transfer Austin Booker has been a crucial component of the D-line’s success. The 6-foot-6 edge rusher whose teammates refer to him as an “athletic freak” has been the difference maker thus far, recording 11 total tackles (4.5 for loss) and 3.5 sacks. Despite missing the first half against Nevada due to a targeting call sustained the game prior, Booker still has the best individual defensive stats on the roster.

Other offseason transfers are playing well, specifically the interior defensive linemen. Former Colorado State Ram Devin Phillips has been terrific at serving as the team’s noseguard. Minnesota transfer Gage Keys and returning Jayhawks DJ Withers and Tommy Dunn Jr. are also playing their part in run defense. Kansas ranks 25th in the country against the run, allowing just 372 yards on 114 carries. That’s a vast difference between the Kansas football offense, which has garnered 871 yards on the ground (12th in FBS).

Defensive coordinator Brian Borland still has some work to do as the season progresses. The secondary is letting receivers run free on them every game, and linebacker play aside from budding star JB Brown has been suspect. However, the quickly improved KU defensive line has been a boon to the Kansas football team.