Lance Leipold previews Texas Tech, talks young players progression

Kansas will face one of its toughest tests of the season, traveling to play No. 9 Texas Tech on Saturday. Lance Leipold met with the media on Monday, discussing what he’s seen from a talented Red Raider team, the progression of young players on the defense, and the resiliency the Jayhawks showed in their win at UCF.

Leipold said Texas Tech has ‘used their resources immensely’

Texas Tech’s commitment to NIL spending has been well-documented, spending roughly $28 million on its football roster. The investment has paid off so far, with the Red Raiders off to a 5-0 start. Leipold said the program has used its resources well.

“They’ve utilized their resources immensely,” Leipold said. “They’re not shy about talking about it and what they’ve been able to do. And you can look at the two-deep and you can see that they’ve gone everywhere and anywhere to get players, and that’s a credit to them. It’s the gaps that are still there in this new model we’re working under, and obviously, I think it’s probably well known that they’re well top of the league probably.”

Leipold mentioned outside linebacker David Bailey, a Stanford transfer, as a late portal addition that has been productive for Texas Tech. Bailey has tallied 6.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks through five games so far. Leipold said the Red Raiders’ front will be as good as one Kansas has seen this season.

“I think they’re in top in, like, tackles for losses, sacks and everything. So, again, explosive, good front, very athletic,” Leipold said. “It’s as good as a front as we’ve seen. You know, I know we played a good Missouri team, but this is an excellent defense all across the board and it’ll be a big challenge.”

Texas Tech pairs an athletic defense with an explosive offense. The Red Raiders rank in the 78th percentile in explosive play percentage. Leipold said Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire has a really good football team, and the game will be a “heck of a challenge.”

Younger defensive players gaining confidence with ‘on-the-job training’

Kansas has multiple young players who are in the midst of their first full season of production. Leipold said that the game-day reps have helped those players become more confident.

“When you get that, you know, game day, live feeling of things, for some of it is on-the-job training,” Leipold said. “I mean, you’ve got to get those conference snaps, those quality opponent snaps that you have in nonconference, all those things, and you learn, but to see them learn and grow and become more confident… all those guys are starting to show all the reasons why we’re excited to have them in this program.”

One of those youngsters, redshirt freshman Austin Alexander, had a big pass breakup late in the game against UCF to help secure the win. Dakyus Brinkley also had a couple of pressures, and those moments under the lights can help a young player spark confidence in themselves.

“When he does it under the lights, so to speak, another sense of confidence that, hey, I can do this and I can do it on a regular basis,” Leipold said. “And again, everything we just almost talked about that daily and weekly preparation. If I just stay to it and I play fast and I play confidently, things will happen. If I use my proper technique and do the things that I’ve been coached to do, those things can happen. And you can see that with some of the guys and hopefully we can continue to get that from some of those younger players.”

Resiliency is a staff mentality, expectation of players and recruits

Leipold praised the Jayhawks’ resiliency after erasing a 14-point deficit against UCF. He said that resiliency is established in the offseason and can help in life after football.

“I think it’s a lot of factors, it’s a staff mentality. I think it’s an expectation of guys that hopefully you’re seeing as you evaluate in recruiting,” Leipold said. “It’s habits that you establish in the offseason, in fall camp. And really it’s just hopefully what you have, you know, just daily in life. You have a lot of things that don’t go your way and what are you going to do about it and how are you going to work through it and all those types of things that can happen in life after football.”

Leipold said a come-from-behind win on the road like that can help build confidence. UCF had a strong game-day atmosphere, and pulling out the win improves morale in confidence as the team gets back home.

“It’s a different feeling, obviously. Body language and morale is a lot better, obviously. And it sometimes can build you some extra confidence as much as coming from behind at home would be,” Leipold said. “A night game on the road, that’s a nice atmosphere they have there in a game day atmosphere at UCF. It’s, you know, credit to them and for us to be able to pull that out, I’m really proud of that.”