Kansas linebackers coach Chris Simpson has a solid mix of returning starters and players that got a couple of opportunities in 2023 ahead of the 2024 season as they look to step into the roles that Craig Young and Rich Miller played.

Simpson listed some options as to who could play the hybrid spot that Young spent so much time at, talked about the strides that JB Brown has made, reiterated the praise Lance Leipold gave for Cornell Wheeler and gave insight into his most recent recruiting ventures.

One of the most unique spots on the field is the hybrid spot that Young played that mixes in responsibilities of both a linebacker and a defensive back. Last season, Young had a good blend of speed and size in order to fit into the role perfectly. Replacing him is something that the coaching staff is doing very carefully, as they are trying their hand on a couple of different fronts.

“We're repping probably five guys right now at that position, but four of the five are coming out of the safety room,” Simpson said.

Marvin Grant has made his name known as someone who can step into the role from the safety room, but Logan Brantley is a linebacker that Simpson is hoping to see come around as well.

“We feel like he can fill that hybrid type role so he can be a backer when we need him to be a backer, but he can be kind of a spin down safety if we need him to do that,” Simpson said of Brantley. “He's a very emotional player. Okay. And sometimes that's good, sometimes it's bad.

"So his highs are high and his lows are low. So I'm working with him to try to find that happy medium so that he doesn't allow one play to affect the next. Because when he does that, and I do say when because I think he will, and he puts all that stuff together, he's going to be a tremendous player for us.”

Jayson Gilliom is currently battling some injuries and has played there before. When he is back, he could be seen closer to the middle of the field pre-snap, as Simpson’s goal is to have as many people ready for as many positions as possible.

“Jayson was playing that kind of hybrid spot, but we feel that now he's really trying to transition to learning Hawk, Mike, Will because ultimately I need to have more depth at every position.”

During fall camp before the 2023 season, the coaching staff spent a lot of time praising the Bowling Green transfer. The Jayhawks lost Miller and Kenny Logan to graduation, making Brown the Jayhawks’ leading tackler among returners. The 57 tackles and two forced fumbles appear to just be the beginning for the redshirt junior.

“Yeah, he's way ahead of [where he was at fall camp],” Simpson said. "Just because of his understanding, extremely physical player, plays downhill, another guy that can make some plays.

Among Brown’s biggest plays was the forced fumble he had in the third quarter of the Oklahoma game that preceded Jason Bean’s 38-yard touchdown scamper. While the big plays have always been there for, what Simpson is focused on with Brown is eliminating the plays where he could potentially put the rest of the defense in a bad position.

“At times, especially the first half of the season last year," Simpson said. "He would be out there in certain situations, and he was kind of just a see ball, get ball guy, which, again, you have an opportunity to make some plays doing that, but sometimes you can compromise the defense when you're doing that."

That's where Simpson has seen the improvement and excited what he sees in Brown this spring.

"Now, he's where he's supposed to be and continues to be able to make some of those plays," he said. "I'm really fired up about JB and what he's going to be able to do for us.”

Head coach Lance Leipold was very excited to talk about Wheeler’s improvements, and so is his position coach. The Jayhawks will have some options to replace Miller at middle linebacker, but Simpson says that Wheeler is doing well to show he can do it.

“Between Taiwan [Berryhill] and JB, and Cornell Wheeler, Cornell's really stepped up quite a bit with that Mike backer spot,” Simpson said.

Something that has always been known about Wheeler is that he has great awareness, but now that is starting to come together with an understanding of the system as he continues to get more reps.

“Cornell has as much feel, just true linebacker feel as any of them,” Simpson said. “He's got some of the stuff that you don't really coach. You just kind of got a knack. Now he's really starting to get an understanding. He's been a rep guy, as we would say, a rep guy that has to get the reps so that he really knows it. And now he's starting to know it. So he's a guy that other guys are going to and asking questions, which usually he was the guy asking questions.”

Miller’s 58 tackles will have to be replacde, but what has been a big concern is how the defense can adapt after losing the on-field coach presence that he provided. Simpson is beginning to see Wheeler take steps toward becoming that player for the defense.

“When you have a guy like Rich Miller in the room, other guys almost say ‘well, he's the guy that kind of does all that,’ and then he's not here anymore,” Simpson said. “So guys will step up, you know what I'm saying? So we have to. We have to provide opportunities for that to happen. And I think Cornell's doing a great job of making that happen.”

Simpson has established a nice pipeline from Michigan to Kansas, and is starting to see the perception of the program change as he continues to recruit the area.

“When you go and hit the streets so to speak, and get in and out of those buildings, there's a little bit more name recognition,” Simpson said. “It's not an afterthought because I think Kansas probably was not just in Michigan, but probably in a lot of places. And I think people are actually starting to take us a little bit more seriously. Like it's a viable option.”

What is still a challenge for Simpson and the rest of the staff is appealing to the in-state recruits.

“I'll just be honest with you, probably the hardest time is in the state,” Simpson said. “It's probably easier out of state right now. And I've said this before, I've said this to you guys. Guys in the state know too much. They know the history, right?”

With prospects that grew up in the state of Kansas during the dark days of Kansas football, the focus is starting to shift, and Simpson and the rest of the staff are eager to keep increasing Kansas’ reputation.

“We're trying to change that history, and I think we are,” Simpson said. “So now we've got to start to capitalize on some of the guys within the state of Kansas. Again, I don't have a recruiting area in the state, but there's guys in the state that I'm actively trying to recruit that we have to be able to get over the top with some of those guys.”