Kansas football expected to hire NFL position coach to fill massive void on Jayhawks staff

Even before his days with the Kansas football program, Lance Leipold has always run a tight ship. But the Jayhawks lost two key components of their coaching staff since the offseason commenced, and some replacements were needed.

The first replacement of the offseason was Jeff Grimes, the longtime offensive specialist who is set to succeed Andy Kotelnicki as the offensive coordinator. Now, Leipold made another hire in D.K. McDonald.

McDonald has served on the Philadelphia Eagles coaching staff since 2021, most recently being promoted to defensive backs coach this year. He assisted Philly with one of the top-ranked defenses in 2022, and his unit allowed the fewest passing yards in the NFL that year. The coaching veteran had previously spent five years with Iowa State in the same role, making him an easy fit with Kansas in the Big 12.

He will be replacing Jordan Peterson, who left for his alma mater Texas A&M last month. Peterson held the same position McDonald is taking over — defensive backs coach and co-defensive coordinator — and will aid primary defensive coordinator Brian Borland in playcalling.

On top of being a terrific positions coach, Peterson was one of the best recruiters in the Big 12, especially with his close ties to the Arizona area. He was responsible for bringing in three recruits from Desert Edge in Goodyear, Arizona, including Deshawn Warner, the Jayhawks' highest-rated signee in school history. That is an area McDonald must be effective in.

While joining a college staff might be viewed as a downgrade from the NFL, McDonald could find himself with the Jayhawks long-term. Before KU's defense made tremendous strides in 2023, fans were calling for Borland to be demoted from defensive playcalling duties, and Peterson was viewed as the potential successor. The same could go for McDonald one day.