LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas football head coach Les Miles announced contract extensions for two major pieces of the Jayhawk defense on Monday, in defensive run game coordinator and defensive line coach Kwahn Drake and defensive backs coach Chevis Jackson. Both Drake and Jackson’s contracts have been extended through the 2021 season.

“Kwahn and Chevis have both been valuable members of our staff since they have arrived, and we’re very happy they will be continuing with us,” Coach Les Miles said. “They both have shown a strong ability to teach and develop young players in their time here, and that is vital to our success as a program going forward.”

Drake and Jackson both recently completed their second season on staff with the Jayhawks, with both coaches leading young players to breakout seasons.

During the 2020 season, Drake coached redshirt freshman Marcus Harris to a standout season, where he set a team-high 7.5 tackles for loss, which were tied for the fifth most among freshmen nationally and the most by a Kansas freshman since linebacker Jake Love had eight in 2012. Harris finished the season with 27 total tackles, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

In addition to Harris’ season, redshirt freshman DaJon Terry stood out for the Jayhawks on the defensive line, registering 2 sacks. In 2019, Drake coached defensive lineman Jelani Brown to All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honors.

In the Kansas secondary, Jackson coached true freshman Karon Prunty to an impressive campaign in which he started all nine games at cornerback for the Jayhawks and accumulated 10 pass breakups, tied for the most among true freshmen nationally, while recording one interception.

Prunty held opponents to just a 38.5% completion percentage against him, which ranks seventh in all of college football, while not allowing a single touchdown all season. Prunty finished the season by earning All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honors. Also in 2020, Jackson helped senior cornerback Elijah Jones have a breakout season, breaking up six passes and starting eight games for the Jayhawks.

During the 2019 season, Jackson coached Hasan Defense to All-Big 12 honors.