New Kansas co-defensive coordinator D.K. McDonald is bringing proven NFL coaching experience to this year’s defensive backs — but he’s even helping out players from before he arrived in Lawrence, too.
“I had a great conversation with Kenny Logan the other day,” McDonald said Thursday. “He was just kind of picking my brain about what it takes to stay at that level and stick. And I gave him my number, I told him whatever he needs, I’m here for him. Just to be someone to bounce it off, just another resource.
“For all these guys, if they want that, I was fortunate to be there, and get to see what it’s like and get to do it at a high level.”
After several years playing under former position coach Jordan Peterson, KU’s decorated cornerback duo of Cobee Bryant and Mello Dotson — both of whom are entering their final season of eligibility — has a chance to prepare for the next level with the help of someone who has already been there.
“If you brought in a guy who coached in the Super Bowl the year before and (had) been in the playoffs, so when he’s talking about what he sees and what it takes, what are some of the things (you need), it’s pretty factual,” head coach Lance Leipold said. “Once Cobee and Mello saw that I think they’ve embraced it. Now, there’ll be a little different coaching style, and the guys have kind of said it, but again, there are going to be things that they can take from it and grow and get better, so that’s exciting.”
Leipold brought in McDonald in February to coach cornerbacks after he spent three seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, two as their assistant defensive backs coach — including the 2022 Super Bowl run — and most recently as the full-fledged position coach.
He said his decision to return to the college ranks (he previously spent nine seasons under Matt Campbell) and join Leipold in particular was inspired by what he heard and learned of KU’s coaching staff.
“You want to be around great people, people of like mind, people who love the game of football and love young men, want to see them be successful on and off the field,” McDonald said.
He added that Dotson’s and Bryant’s reputations preceded them, even in NFL circles. Now he’s getting the chance to show those players the film of what he accomplished in Philadelphia with players like six-time Pro Bowler Darius Slay.
“They’ve just been eating it up, and it’s fun to see their growth, and it’s going to be fun to see them going out of this place playing their best football,” McDonald said.
The new assistant does have a challenging job ahead of him in other respects. With Kalon Gervin and Kwinton Lassiter lost to graduation, KU will have to fill the back end of its secondary with players who have minimal collegiate experience. Damarius McGhee wasn’t able to play much of the 2023 season due to injury after transferring from LSU; the rest of the room includes underclassmen such as Brian Dilworth, Jameel Croft and Jacoby Davis.
“Just helping them learn,” McDonald said, asked what he would need to do to cultivate depth. “A smarter football player is a better football player. So we’re just trying to give them the knowledge that they need. And then get them some reps out there. We got a lot of talent running around here.”
The knowledge of Dotson and Bryant can also trickle down to the younger players; McDonald said he’s been immediately impressed by their leadership.
“That lets me know that these aren’t just guys who are out for themselves and trying to make sure that they’re secure in whatever they need to secure for themselves, that they’re really trying to leave this place better than they found it,” McDonald said. “And to me that’s special. That’s special. That’s a special trait that those guys have that I imagine a lot of people don’t know about them.”
The continued growth of McDonald’s charges will be one storyline to watch during spring practice, which is less than two weeks away.
AP Photo/Matt Rourke
