Here is the Cliff’s Notes version from Kansas defensive coordinator Dave Campo’s comments at his press conference today.
• **Campo says the coaches have a better feel for the guys that have been here.** The fall will be more about fitting guys into roles. There are a lot of new guys competing for positions. KU needs a two-deep because of the fast pace of the offenses in this league. The coaches still need to look at guys this fall — especially new guys — while also implementing different things into the defense.
• **The Big 12 is unique in that it has a lot of teams that play with the spread offense.** That’s different among major conferences. Campo’s had to make some changes to his defense to adapt.
• **The coaches love safety Tevin Shaw.** It was difficult to get guys with his kind of athleticism at the point that the new coaching staff came to KU. He’s a versatile athlete, and he’s smart. After one day of meetings, it looks like he picks up things quickly. He’s one of the guys in the next two weeks that, if you were a betting man, you’d say he’d have a chance to play. But the coaches will have to see his instincts out there at safety.
• **Campo says that he hopes by two weeks into practices, he has his guys picked out** so he can start to prepare for the first opponent.
• **Campo wants his players to play from snap to whistle no matter what the situation.** KU is talented enough to stop some offenses if it does that. Campo thinks his team made progress in the spring with its fourth-quarter attitude.
• **Campo feels like the secondary starters are strong.** Now, KU has to find some backups there. On the defensive line, KU feels like it has to play two groups, because those guys are going to get winded if they play all-out like KU’s coaches want them to play. If the new guys up front are who the coaches think they are, the coaches think they can line up two groups and not lose much when either unit is out there.
• **Toben Opurum is rocked up now.** The strength guys did a great job with a lot of the KU players. Toben is one of those guys. He has fast-twitch ability. He has quickness off the ball. He can play down or standing up, which makes him versatile. He’s a good football player. Campo’s more impressed with him now after seeing what he did in the offseason.
• **Campo was impressed by the players with the conditioning drills this morning.** He was pleased watching the guys today. He thinks the guys are in shape.
• **Linebacker Anthony McDonald is a good football player.** He’s had some injury issues, and that might determine how far he goes. He’s got experience, and it’s a plus to have an experienced guy at middle linebacker.
• **Right now, South Dakota State has no idea what KU is going to do, because Campo has played four or five defenses in the last few years.** Campo would describe his defense as multiple. It’s versatile. If KU has three linemen that are warriors, then the team will play three linemen. If KU has four linemen that are warriors, they’ll play four. KU will match the defense with its personnel.
• **Campo says he would have rated KU last in the Big 12 if he would have looked at it.** If you go a couple years and don’t win, the general perception is that you have guys that can’t win. Campo would disagree with that. Now it’s time to stop talking and to go out and perform.