photo by: Missy Minear/Kansas Athletics

Kansas co-defensive coordinator D.K. McDonald coaches during fall camp in Lawrence on Wednesday, July 31, 2024.

Updated 6:56 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8:

The Kansas football team is replacing another coordinator with an internal promotion for the second time in two days.

Head coach Lance Leipold announced on Sunday evening that defensive coordinator Brian Borland is retiring from coaching and will be replaced by co-defensive coordinator and cornerbacks coach D.K. McDonald.

“I have been fortunate to work with Brian for more than 18 years, he is the ultimate professional, selfless coworker and I am grateful for his commitment and impact that he has made on so many throughout his career,” Leipold said in a press release.

As Leipold’s coaching staffs have long been characterized by continuity, Borland has been perhaps the most durable assistant of all. The 40-year coaching veteran worked at Wisconsin-Whitewater even before Leipold took the reins there in 2007, and Borland has gone on to serve as Leipold’s sole defensive coordinator at both Buffalo and KU, until now.

“I am extremely thankful for all the experiences granted over the course of my career,” Borland said in the release. “I’m a most fortunate man. I owe a particular debt of gratitude to Lance Leipold, who has demonstrated tremendous loyalty and trust in me over the years. I did my best to serve him, the student-athletes, fellow coaches, and this profession well in return.”

McDonald was an external hire in the spring of 2024 to replace departed defensive backs coach Jordan Peterson after Peterson left for Texas A&M. McDonald had previously worked as a position coach for the Philadelphia Eagles and on Matt Campbell’s staffs at Iowa State and Toledo. This will be his first experience as a collegiate defensive coordinator.

“I’m excited to take this next step as the defensive coordinator at Kansas,” McDonald said in the release. “I am grateful to have been able to work with Brian and the defensive staff over this past year, and I look forward to continuing to mentor and guide our student-athletes. I am very appreciative to Coach Leipold for this opportunity.”

The 2024 season was an erratic one for the Kansas defense, which vastly outperformed the offense in the early stages of the year but then allowed consecutive touchdown drives in the final minutes at West Virginia, 507 total yards of offense against TCU and then three straight touchdown drives in the second half at ASU. All of those games were losses. The defense bounced back to hold up nicely in ranked victories over BYU and Colorado, but then put up by far its worst showing of the year when it mattered most at Baylor with bowl eligibility on the line, giving up 603 yards to the surging Bears.

KU finished the year 10th in scoring defense, 11th in yards per play allowed and 12th in total defense, unable to produce the same incremental improvements it had earlier in Borland’s tenure.

Leipold said in the press release that he and Borland “had discussions weeks prior” to the end of KU’s season, and Borland said he made the decision to retire “a few weeks ago.”

“We wish him, his wife, Gayle, and his entire family the best going forward,” Leipold said.

While McDonald nominally oversaw the Jayhawks’ cornerbacks, he did exert influence over some other position groups, particularly the safeties, as part of his co-DC role. He said he had often coached the secondary at his past stops, so it was nothing new for him. Many KU players and coaches praised McDonald and what Leipold called his “demanding and fair” style and the value of his NFL experience.

KU now has multiple options for its vacant on-field coaching spot. It could continue to have McDonald oversee the entire secondary while serving as DC, or potentially install someone like analyst Brandon Shelby as a secondary coach operating under McDonald, or add a new coach for another group altogether.

The news of Borland’s departure and McDonald’s promotion was initially reported by CBS Sports on Sunday morning. It closely follows the promotion of co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Jim Zebrowski to replace Jeff Grimes as offensive coordinator, meaning KU will have two new coordinators next season.

“I absolutely loved my time at the University of Kansas,” Borland said. “It’s a special place well positioned for big things in the near future. I’m now the football program’s biggest fan and supporter as the baton is carried to the finish line by capable hands.”

photo by: Carter Gaskins/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas defensive coordinator Brian Borland blows the whistle during practice on Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Lawrence.