Heading into the rugged, pass-heavy Big 12, Kansas enters the 2015 with a very inexperienced secondary. But instead of focusing on their short comings, safeties coach and defensive coordinator Clint Bowen is shifting his focus on what they're able to do well and adapting their to that.
"With DBs, the first thing you have to do is figure out their skill set, and what they're capable of doing." Bowen, who has coached in Lawrence for 17 seasons, explained.
"There's an old saying that 'there's no point in entering a donkey in the Kentucky Derby. No matter what you train him to do, he's not going to do it.' So you've got to find out what those kids are capable of doing and then make sure that you match coverages with their skill set and what they're able to do."
"Early in the year, when you get those guys out there, you're able to find their skill set, and what they're best at, and we'll go from there."
The Jayhawks open the 2015 season with two home games against South Dakota State and Memphis, followed by an open date and games against Rutgers and Iowa State on the road. None of their first four opponents ranked in the top 50 nationally in passing yardage.
Their first big test in the secondary will come October 10th against Baylor, who finished last season ranked 4th nationally in passing yards, and we're all aware of what Art Briles' teams are capable of through the air.