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Why this has to be Kansas' most crucial improvement next season

Kansas often gave up too many points in too short of time last season.
ByConnor Mardian|
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Kansas co-defensive coordinator and cornerbacks coach D.K. McDonald works with players during a team practice Tuesday, April 2, 2024, inside the Indoor Football Practice Facility.
Kansas co-defensive coordinator and cornerbacks coach D.K. McDonald works with players during a team practice Tuesday, April 2, 2024, inside the Indoor Football Practice Facility. | Evert Nelson / USA TODAY NETWORK

Last season, the Kansas Jayhawks struggled to keep teams from toppling points. The 2025 campaign ended in six games with Kansas allowing 30+ points. In those matchups, two of them involved scorelines where KU allowed 42 points, and three of those six games all finished within two scores. 

All stats were compiled via TeamRankings, who can be found here.

Overall, the Jayhawks finished last season with the nation’s No. 95 overall defense, conceding 409.5 yards per game. While there are several reasons as to why a power-conference team could have consistently given up so many points and yards, the one easiest to find is that Kansas simply could not get its opponents off the field. 

KU gave up too many body blows

Last season, the Jayhawks’ defense didn’t manage opposition time of possession poorly, only giving up 29:34 per game (No. 50 in the nation), but what they did with those minutes cost KU way more than it should. Last campaign, Kansas finished No. 97 in the country, allowing a conversion rate of 42.86% from opposition offenses, along with 69.5 opposing plays per game. Good for No. 78 in the country. 

Kansas also gave up the country’s No. 100-worst yards per play, allowing 5.9 yards per play, allowing constant gashes. 

Why was Kansas so paltry on the defensive end?

Using a first-year defensive coordinator like D.K. McDonald was always going to have its peaks and valleys. For example, if Kansas wasn’t allowing 30+point games, it was because they were often shutting down opposing offenses. Kansas allowed just 10 points against West Virginia, 20 points against UCF, 21 points against Oklahoma State and 20 points against Arizona. The problem was that those performances were often paired with blowout scorelines, often ridding the good work from week to week. 

McDonald’s second year at Kansas should hopefully see natural progressions that come with time. Last year, the Jayhawks gave up crucial rushing touchdowns against Missouri, Cincinnati and Arizona that opened caused three of Kansas’ seven losses. Those shouldn’t happen in year two. 

Kansas has taken defensive steps forward

16 of Kansas’ 31 incoming transfers are set for the defense, including five at the linebacker spot to help fill in around the highly-touted returning Tre Lathan.

The Jayhawks will also be revamping their defensive line as McDonald and Co. are reeling in four defensive linemen, suring up a defense that allowed 184.1 rushing yards per game, and was only responsible for 1.9 sacks per game No. 74 in the country. 

Overall, the Jayhawks are set to rake in the nation’s No. 53 recruiting class according to 247Sports, who profile Kansas’ highest-rated incoming defensive transfers to be Arkansas defensive lineman Kevin Oatis, followed by fellow linemen Jibriel Conde and Tre’Von McAlpine. 

Kansas’ defense will have to be at its best, as the Jayhawks are set to take on of the Big 12’s toughest schedules, which comprises of Missouri, an away trip to Kansas State for the annual Sunflower Showdown, with an overseas trip to take on Arizona State in the Union Jack Classic, along with playing host to BYU, and away to Utah and a resurgent Oklahoma State. 

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