Kansas’ secondary is already drawing attention before the season even kicks off, and the biggest concern right now isn’t chemistry - it’s health.
Head coach Lance Leipold said Monday that the Jayhawks’ cornerback room is still dealing with some lingering injuries with less than a month left before Week 1. That matters because, even with plenty of talent in the defensive backfield, the group still needs to get on the field together before anyone can figure out how well it all fits.
“We have a lot of guys competing [at cornerback], and part of it, we're looking for guys to be able to be out there every day consistently,” Leipold said.
Two of the five corners who have a legitimate chance to see meaningful snaps this season are still working back from injuries. The most notable name is redshirt sophomore Austin Alexander, who had surgery in the spring. Leipold said Alexander is moving in the right direction, but his path back has been bumpy.
“Austin Alexander is getting healthier, but really he's been limited for over six months,” Leipold added. “Just when we were getting him back, he had another setback with a different injury. But, he's coming around.”
Alexander’s offseason work drew praise from Leipold, though the latest setback appears to have interrupted his return from the surgery he underwent months ago. Before the injury issues, he had already shown what he can bring to the defense. As a redshirt freshman, Alexander posted 34 solo tackles, broke up two passes and returned a fumble for a touchdown against Missouri in the Border Showdown.
The other health situation to watch is Syeed Gibbs, the former Georgia Tech defensive back who has the kind of flexibility Kansas values. Leipold said Gibbs still isn’t fully right, which leaves some uncertainty at the HAWK/nickel spot.
“Syeed Gibbs is another guy that has been slowed, and again, he's shown an ability to help us out at the corner position as well as a nickel,” Leipold said.
If Alexander or Gibbs isn’t ready for the opener on Sept. 4 against Long Island University, Kansas would be looking at junior Jalen Todd plus transfers Roman Pearson and Elijah Cannon as the only corners with game experience. That leaves little margin for error for a group that already had its struggles a year ago.
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