Kansas football DC believes Jayhawks are close to 'putting it all together'

The rocky start to Kansas football's 2024 season can be traced back to a handful of underperforming players and members of the coaching staff. However, the bottom line is that every aspect of this Jayhawks team must improve, including a defensive unit that has gotten worse every week.

Defensive coordinator Brian Borland has not caught nearly as much slack as offensive play-caller Jeff Grimes, but he certainly hasn't met expectations through the first five weeks of the season. The Jayhawks are set to face off this weekend against an Arizona State squad that scored 48 points against Wyoming and 30 vs. Mississippi State in nonconference play. Although Borland knows it won't be an easy matchup for his group, he is confident they will finally turn it around:

Brian Borland still has the utmost faith in Kansas football defense

"We’re close to putting it all together, Hopefully it will come this week, I’m really excited about our guys. Nobody is jumping off the ship here and we are a motivated group. I feel confident that we are going to play our best on Saturday... They are a ball control team that wants to control the clock as well. They take shots down the field to keep you honest, and their running back is really good, he’s hard to tackle."

- Brian Borland

Borland spoke to the media on Wednesday and instilled confidence in his defense. It sure sounds like a cliché response, though we shouldn't expect anything else at this point of the year. The vibes are down in Lawrence, and people have lost optimism about the highly anticipated season.

Kansas ranks in the top half of the conference in sacks (10), interceptions (five), and fumbles forced (three). The defense has not been inherently bad, but it crumbled in multiple late-game situations — UNLV and West Virginia scored go-ahead and eventually game-winning touchdowns in the final two minutes of the game, and Illinois could not be stopped en route to a fourth-quarter comeback victory.

Coming into a road game in 100° temperatures, Kansas cannot go down early. It must set the tone and have long offensive possessions to let the defense occasionally rest. If quarterback Jalon Daniels' ball-security issues continue, it could be an ugly showing in Tempe on Saturday.

Jayhawk fans might feel better about the defense than the turnover-prone offense, which has already racked up eight interceptions in under half a season. This game will not be easy for Kansas football, but it is one of the most winnable contests remaining on the schedule and the team needs to earn some outside respect after its sloppy start. That all starts with the defense.