Updated 12:46 p.m. Monday, Oct. 21:
Kansas City, Mo. — By the time head coach Lance Leipold addressed the media in his game-week press conference last Monday, cornerback Cobee Bryant hadn’t taken any team reps since suffering an injury at Arizona State more than a week earlier, and his status for Houston was “highly questionable.”
For Bryant, it felt like it was never truly in question.
“I wanted to play,” he said after KU beat Houston 42-14 on Saturday. “I already told Leipold, like, ‘Man, I’m going to play. I’m going to fight through this, I’m going to rehab hard the whole week, I’m going to come back hard next week, Houston week, and I’m going to play.’ I already told him that.”
One thing Bryant didn’t know was the kind of game he would have against the Cougars. The Jayhawks’ senior standout intercepted three passes to match a school record (though he noted he didn’t match his high school record by getting to four picks).
“I’m like, ‘Man, you really throwing these balls to me, man? You just donate me the ball,'” Bryant said. “Like, OK, I don’t mind, I’m just going to catch it.”
The performance earned him the title of Big 12 defensive player of the week, announced on Monday, as well as national recognition from the Senior Bowl and East-West Shrine Bowl, during a season that has featured few such honors for Jayhawks.
Bryant broke on a ball that Houston starter Zeon Chriss lofted into coverage in the first quarter, saw backup Donovan Smith drop one right into his arms on an apparent miscommunication and then, to hear him tell it, baited Smith into throwing his way on a trick play.
“I was shocked when I caught that third pick,” Bryant said, “because I ain’t think he was going to throw the ball to that side, but he threw it.”
Bryant, who previously had one pick on the season, is now tied with Aqib Talib for second-most all-time interceptions by a Jayhawk (at 13).
“One thing about him, he’s a highly competitive young man who never wants to miss (time),” Leipold said. “For him to come out and play as well as he did is really great to see. I guess I could say, if you know Cobee it’s probably not really surprising, because the game’s awful important to him. He played extremely physical and aggressive and he made huge plays for us.”
Added linebacker JB Brown: “He had an amazing day, something I ain’t never seen before. (He’s) one of those great guys that I’ll tell my kids later on in life that I played with.”
Bryant’s performance was a key part of an overall complementary effort by the KU defense, aided by a resurgent pass rush that tallied six sacks for the first time since the Jayhawks beat Illinois in 2023.
“We had that hunger,” Brown said. “We’ve had it for a minute, and we were just ready to unleash it.”
Defensive end Dean Miller, who had one sack in a strong showing, also batted a ball in the air that made it so Bryant wasn’t even the only injured Jayhawk to pick off a Houston quarterback. Middle linebacker Cornell Wheeler, the defensive captain who hadn’t played since KU’s fourth game of the year against West Virginia, plucked one out of the air. The Jayhawks rotated him with Taiwan Berryhill Jr., who has filled in during his absence.
Leipold, who had called Wheeler “doubtful” on Monday, said he started to move around well in practice by Wednesday and Thursday.
“He’s a leader of the defense, well respected and to see him get a play like that for a guy who’s missed,” Leipold said, “it was extremely impactful and a boost to the defense and something that we’ll build upon now that he’s back on the field.”
Bryant said the Jayhawks’ defense should have no trouble channeling its success into the week ahead to get motivated.
“It’s K-State,” he said. “We’re ready for K-State. Everybody knows it’s a rivalry game.”
Kansas linebacker Cornell Wheeler, right, celebrates with cornerback Cobee Bryant during the game against Houston Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo.
Kansas cornerback Cobee Bryant (2) celebrates with teammates after intercepting a pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Houston, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo.
Kahner Sampson/Special to the Journal-World
Kahner Sampson/Special to the Journal-World
AP Photo/Charlie Riedel