Kansas is hiring veteran defensive backs coach Duane Akina as a senior analyst and nickelbacks coach, according to a report Tuesday from CBS Sports.
Akina spent the 2025 season as the defensive pass game coordinator and safeties coach at Texas, returning to a spot where he coached from 2003-13. He was Arizona's defensive coordinator in 2024, and an analyst for the Wildcats the year prior to that.
A quarterback at Washington in the late 1970s, Akina crafted a carer as one of the most respected secondary coaches in college football. He has coached the position at Hawaii, Arizona, Texas and Stanford for more than 40 years, including one season with the CFL's Calgary Stampeders.
At KU, Akina will work under defensive coordinator DK McDonald and defensive backs coach Brandon Shelby. Kansas finished 102nd nationally in pass efficiency defense en route to a 5-7 finish.
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