Jim Panagos pleased with senior DTs, wants to see improved pass rush

Kansas’ defensive tackle room is shaping up to have a lot of depth and experience, with six guys as potential legitimate contributors. Defensive tackles coach Jim Panagos met with the media on Sunday. He talked about what he’s seen out of his seniors, the development of Marcus Calvin, and where he wants to see his group improve

Seniors standing out with their work ethic

Four of the six rotation players at defensive tackle are seniors – Tommy Dunn, DJ Withers, Kenean Caldwell, and the re-addition of Gage Keys. Panagos says Kansas needs its seniors to have good years, because teams have good years when their seniors play at a high level.

Dunn is entering his redshirt senior season and looking to build on a career high in tackles and tackles for loss. Panagos said Dunn is in elite shape and his confidence has allowed him to make plays.

“When you prepare really hard, it gives you confidence. And this summer, he worked and worked, and he doesn’t get tired anymore,” Panagos said. “Now that he sees when he’s tired, he’s making more plays, and that builds confidence. Football is all confidence. Players prepare, they get confidence, and they go out there and make plays. That even builds the confidence in players with that confidence.”

Withers tallied a career-high 21 tackles, four coming for a loss, in 2024. As Withers enters his senior season, Panagos has called on him to understand coverages and install the defense to the younger players.

“I spent a lot of time with DJ this summer going over coverages and making him score the defense. To me, I make him install the defense to the players. I make him understand the coverages because coverages affect how you pass rush,” Panagos said. “Now it’s his senior year, he’s doing the little things now, and he’s out there early with me pre-practice, working really hard.”

Caldwell has appeared as a rotational player throughout the last two seasons. Panagos said he worked hard during the summer and cares a lot.

“He worked really hard on his lateral quickness this summer, and I see him on the practice field. So not only is he strong, he’s really worked on his weaknesses and made his weakness a strength,” Panagos said. “I really admire him. He’s very coachable and he cares, and that’s really important. As long as you have players that care and are coachable, you can do a lot of things.”

Panagos ‘really excited about [Calvin’s] growth’

Calvin, a redshirt sophomore, appeared in only Kansas’ season opener last season but looks to step into a rotational role this season. Panagos met with Calvin at the end of spring ball, and their conversation sparked a successful summer.

“At the end of spring, we had a really good meeting about what he could do to get developed even more,” Panagos said. “So I told him, we have 15 days of spring and then we have like 50 more days before we go to training camp. And he really excelled in the plan. He’s stronger, he’s more explosive, more confident, and I’m really excited about his growth and where he’s going.”

Panagos talked with Calvin about things he could improve – blow delivery, being more heavy-handed, and playing with a lower flat back. Calvin took it to heart and looks to be part of the six guys who will see the field for the Jayhawks.

“One thing about Marcus is that he’s worked really hard and that he was ready to go help us,” Panagos said.

Continuing to work on improving pass rush

He said good pass rush units start with good first and second down defense. He hopes this unit can be one of the better pass rush groups that he’s had at Kansas.

“I think you earn the right to pass rush by playing good on first and second down defense,” Panagos said. “They won’t be out there on third down if they don’t earn the right to play first and second down.”

Panagos said he wants to see his group continue to play hard while fatigued. He said there can be a drop off in play when you get tired. 

“When you get tired, two things happen: you don’t strike with your hands, and then your hips and feet don’t follow, and then you don’t play as aggressively,” Panagos said. “So we’ve got to continually get that to the players.”

As camp continues, there are three things that Panagos wants to accomplish with his defensive tackles — be in elite shape, hammer home the details, and put the team first.

“As long as those three things come—if you’re in elite shape, and you know your job and you do it better than myself and care about the team—usually good things happen,” Panagos said.

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