Kansas enters this season with a clear mandate in the secondary: make plays on the ball.
That’s the standard Brandon Shelby is pushing on his cornerbacks after a 2024 season in which Kansas was the only Big 12 team whose cornerbacks did not record an interception. Pro Football Focus’ data showed the rest of the league averaged 4.3 interceptions from cornerbacks, with the median team at 4.0.
Shelby, KU’s defensive backs coach, said the message during camp has centered on more than just preventing damage downfield. The Jayhawks need production when the ball comes their way.
"It's not just about not giving up a big play," Shelby said. "It's also about having some production when the ball's thrown your way.
I don't want all the time just a catch and tackle. We need some interceptions, some PBUs.
We need some game-changing plays."
Kansas leaned on two first-year starters at cornerback last season in Jalen Todd and Austin Alexander, while other experienced players also rotated in on game day. KU also used what D.K. McDonald described as two boundary safeties in Taylor Davis and Lyrik Rawls.
For Shelby, the formula is simple. The unit has to create turnovers, and it has to shrink the explosive plays that flip games.
"We got to take the ball away," Shelby said. "We got to limit explosive plays.
Those are two most important stats in football. And so if you ask our guys that, they understand that.
And so that's punching at the ball, tipped balls, picking off balls. We got to hawk the ball."
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