Kansas has spent the first month of the 2026 season turning its defense into a real strength, and the biggest shift has come up front against the run.
What began with questions about that side of the ball has quickly turned into one of the better rushing defenses in the country under defensive coordinator D.K. McDonald. Through four games, the Jayhawks had given up just 400 rushing yards, which works out to 100 per game and puts them among the national leaders in run defense.
That number held up again on Oct. 3 against Middle Tennessee. Kansas limited the Blue Raiders to 3.4 yards per carry in a 55-0 win, a result that also gave the Jayhawks their first shutout since 2008. It was another clear sign that the defense has been getting sharper as the season has gone on.
The early-season numbers tell the same story. Kansas allowed only 146 total yards against Long Island in the opener, the second-fewest yards surrendered during Lance Leipold’s tenure at Kansas. Across the first five weeks, the Jayhawks have shown they can close off rushing lanes, create tackles for loss and push opponents into obvious passing downs.
That front has also featured standout individual work. Leroy Harris III has become one of the most disruptive players on the team, and the defensive line has kept bringing pressure while making things difficult for opposing backs.
The run defense may matter even more as Big 12 play deepens. Teams will try to slow the game down and keep Kansas’ offense on the sideline, which makes stopping the run a must for McDonald’s group.
After years of defensive struggles, Kansas seems to have found a clear identity on that side of the ball. If the Jayhawks keep bottling up the run and continue to improve against the pass, they could finish the season with one of the Big 12’s more complete defenses.
In Other News...
Kansas Just Landed A Late Roster Win That Changes Everything
Kansas picked up a significant late roster boost for the 2026-27 season with Melvin Council Jr. set to return after a legal ruling in his eligibility case. For a program that always has to balance talent, experience and continuity, keeping a productive guard in the fold matters, especially one who already knows the system and fits into what the Jayhawks want to do on both ends.
Council gave Kansas reliable production last season and quickly became a meaningful piece of the rotation, bringing the kind of backcourt stability that is hard to replace this late in the process. His presence gives the Jayhawks added depth and another proven option as they shape the roster, even if the final chapter on his eligibility situation still leaves one part of the story worth watching. [Read more 🡒]
Former Jayhawk Kevin McCullar Faces A Crowded Knicks Opportunity
Kevin McCullar Jr. is sticking with the Knicks for another go, part of a familiar uphill climb for a former Jayhawk trying to carve out a role in New York. The wing has spent time with both the Knicks and their G League affiliate in Westchester, and last season he got into 21 NBA games after landing in New York on draft night in a deal that sent him there after being selected by Phoenix in 2024.
Now the opportunity is there again, but so is the congestion. McCullar is back on a two-way deal and enters his third season in the organization with little margin for error, especially with another former Kansas wing in the mix as the Knicks sort through the back end of the roster and the competition for one of those final spots. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Makes A Key O-Line Change Before Huge Utah Test
Kansas is making a notable shuffle up front as it prepares for a tough Utah matchup, with Lance Leipold adjusting the interior of the offensive line to try to settle things down. The move gives Amir Herring a bigger role after he had already been pressed into duty in another spot when injury thinned the depth chart, a sign of how much the Jayhawks have had to lean on versatility to keep the line intact.
Herrings expanded responsibility comes with the kind of week-to-week pressure that can shape an offense against a physical opponent, while Tavake Tuikolovatu is set to remain in the mix as a rotational option. For Kansas, the change is about finding the right combination before a game that could demand a clean pocket and a steadier run game than the Jayhawks have had at times. [Read more 🡒]