Cobee Bryant has seen limited action around the ball as of late for the Jayhawks, but for the junior cornerback, it’s a compliment to what he has done when opposing offenses decide they want to test him.

It has been tough for Bryant, who head coach Lance Leipold has described as one of the most competitive players on the team. Even though opposing quarterbacks are hesitant to target him, he is making sure that he is ready for the moment.

“Coach [Peterson] just tells me during the game just keep playing your technique,” Bryant said. “Eventually it's going to come to your side. Just keep playing your technique. You don't need to be lacking out there at all.”

Bryant, who has four career touchdowns, made his name known with his big play ability. Now that he has taken away his side of the field, it has opened up more opportunities for the rest of the defense. Especially Mello Dotson, who has a pick six in each of the last two games.

“I tell Mello all the time, If Mello over there, [Kalon] Gervin, Kwinton Lassiter, I tell them even if they don't want to target me, that's good for y'all also,” Bryant said. “Just play our technique. Like eventually I’ll go make plays on the ball, and I guess our DB is going to make them pay.”

For defensive coordinator Brian Borland, it helps to have two corners that are capable of making offenses pay the way Dotson and Bryant have done throughout their career.

“Mello has done that twice in a row, two weeks in a row, so maybe shouldn't throw them at all,” Borland said.

Bryant was happy to his cornerback teammate return two interceptions for touchdowns.

“I was just excited for him in that moment,” Bryant said. “That was a big moment for him,”

Texas Tech is set to be an intriguing matchup for the Jayhawk defense, especially because the cornerbacks will see a former teammate and practice match up in Jordan Brown at receiver for the Red Raiders.

“I know this week, my boy Jordan Brown used to play here, and that's kind of one of my close friends, he was just telling me, ‘we just watched a lot of good film on you boys,’” Bryant said. “‘Y'all just doing good this season, man.’ He was proud of all of us.”

Other receivers besides Brown caught the attention of Bryant as he went through the scouting report on Texas Tech.

“They've got good long receivers,” Bryant said. “They can go up and get the ball. So I guess they throw a lot of passes in the game. So I guess we should be getting a lot of throws this game. We should be ready for making big plays again this week also.”

The Red Raiders have also found success on the ground, averaging 172 yards a game rushing. Bryant and the other cornerbacks have improved their tackling a lot this year. Just last week, Kwinton Lassiter was tied for the lead on the team for tackles with seven against Iowa State.

Bryant, who made the thunderous hit against BYU that led to a touchdown off of a fumble, said that tackling has been a point of emphasis amongst the corners this year.

“We usually didn't like it in practice like football practice but Coach P said it's going to help in the game,” Bryant said. “So Coach P just had us getting off blocks, coming up, tackling like training hard slowing the ball carrier down. So I guess Coach P having us work like two times every week on our tackling because it's going to help in the game.”

It is a credit to his play that teams are avoiding throwing his way. But he is ready when the action comes back to his side.

“Teams are going to start just moving the ball around like they usually do,” Bryant said. “I guess when it's time to come outside, I just got to make a big play when they come outside.”