He won’t fault the effort of his undersized defensive linemen, linebackers or defensive backs.

In fact, Kansas University football defensive coordinator Bill Young will not point the finger of blame at any of his players while attempting to explain the woeful Jayhawk defense, which ranks last in the Big 12 in rushing defense, total defense and scoring defense.

“The basic problem with our defense? I’ll tell you what  it all starts with coaching. I have to be the first to admit that. What you see is what you coach. I blame myself to begin with,” said Young, a 33-year coaching veteran who coached the Detroit Lions’ defensive line in the NFL last season.

“It’s a lack of consistency. We play real well sometimes and other times we don’t.”

The numbers suggest KU has been defenseless most of the time.

Kansas ranks 105th out of 117 teams nationally in scoring defense, allowing 37.1 points per game. KU ranks 113th in rushing defense (261.3 yards per game), 48th in passing defense (198.9) and 107th in total defense (460.1).

“Part of it  I certainly don’t want to sit here and make any excuses. I’ve got no excuses. It’s not our nature,” Young said. “We had eight plays last week for 306 yards (versus Colorado). We had 40 other rushing plays where we gave up 121 yards. Now you can’t take away any plays in football  if you did, you’d be undefeated  but on 40 plays we’re holding them to three yards a carry. If we could be more consistent … no way you can win allowing 306 yards on eight plays.”

He says the problems are correctable.

“Our kids have a great work ethic. The attitude has been wonderful. We feel we can physically compete with anybody,” Young said. “We don’t think it’s a problem with being physical and taking on blocks.

“We do need to do a much better job of tackling. Our defensive line has to make the hole smaller and linebackers have to be quicker on the blocks. Safeties have got to make plays. We’re going to get better the longer the kids have been in the program.”

There have been bright spots.

Senior linebacker Greg Cole is tied for eighth in the Big 12 Conference in tackles with 58 and is considered an all-league type performer. Junior cornerback Remuise Johnson leads the league in interceptions with five.

“Cole is a bright spot. A lot of freshmen, like Nick Reid (linebacker, 31 tackles) and some guys have done a heck of a job. No doubt Cole  you love him as a football coach,” Young said.

Sophomore defensive end David McMillan had nine tackles versus Colorado, as did former quarterback Zach Dyer in his first effort at safety.

“We are happy with him. He’s really a talented athlete,” Young said of Dyer. “It’s going to take a little bit of time to get acclimated to the defensive schemes because they are pretty involved. He’s a fast learner.

“We were really proud of the way he played, considering he’s not been over there.”

Dyer is the second quarterback to move to defense. Reid also arrived at KU as a quarterback.

“We’d been trying to recruit him ever since we got on campus,” Young said jokingly of Dyer. “The defensive coaches felt he could help us. We recruited Nick Reid too,” he said with a grin.

Any chance of other offensive players moving to defense?

“They’re not going to let us have any more,” Young said with a smile.

Young has managed to keep his sense of humor despite a tough first season at KU.

“To say it’s not rough would be an understatement,” Young said. “Basically we lost two ballgames we had an opportunity on defense to win. Against Baylor we had an opportunity to not win it, but keep from losing it.”

Instead the Bears drove for a winning TD late.

“And of course the way we played the run against Colorado was disappointing,” Young added. “As a defensive staff and players we’ve got to a better job. We’ve not given up on anybody. It’s all going to come together eventually.”

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Arena football: Cold temperatures and rain forced KU to practice indoors for the first time since the season started.

“You always run the risk when you go indoors that your players will lose their focus,” KU coach Mark Mangino said Wednesday after the team’s workout at Anschutz Pavilion. “That wasn’t the case today. It went pretty well. I liked the execution on both ends of the field.”

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Teddleton to start: Junior Brock Teddleton is expected to start at nose tackle Saturday against Texas A&M. Teddleton was No. 1 on the depth chart after spring drills but disappeared from the two-deep during the preseason, didn’t suit up against UNLV or Southwest Missouri State and didn’t play against Bowling Green. He had five tackles in last Saturday’s loss to Colorado.

“In the last three or four weeks he’s totally focused on all the right things, and therefore he’s earned the opportunity to play,” Mangino said. “His practice habits are much better. His attentiveness at meetings is a lot better. He’s doing a lot better as a student.”

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Watkins on mend: Defensive tackle Travis Watkins, who left last Saturday’s game early in the first quarter with a foot or ankle injury, is expected to play against Texas A&M. Watkins was held out of practice Monday, participated on a limited basis Tuesday and went through most of Wednesday’s workout.