Projecting Every Conference's Best Secondary for the 2023 CFB Season
The traditional path to success for college football defenses is to consistently generate havoc, but a lockdown coverage unit can provide a similar impact.
After all, if an opposing quarterback has nowhere to throw, pressure will find him eventually.
Georgia, the two-time reigning national champion, has exemplified that prowess in recent years. Unsurprisingly, its secondary is built for another excellent season—as are Michigan and TCU, two programs that joined the Bulldogs in the College Football Playoff last year.
These choices are subjective but based on returning production, incoming transfers and overall depth.
AAC: Tulane Green Wave
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Let's begin with a dart throw.
Overall, the conference seems awfully thin in the secondary. Further complicating the discussion is several of the more promising individual talents play on some pretty suspect defenses.
Tulane has to replace four key players, so this transition won't be painless. But it helps to have two standout additions.
Northwestern transfer AJ Hampton should join Jarius Monroe and Lance Robinson as starting corners, while former Louisiana standout Kam Pedescleaux is likely to form a duo at safety with DJ Douglas.
Monroe, Robinson and Douglas combined for 104 tackles last year.
Aided by a superb defensive line, this new-look coverage group has intriguing upside for Tulane.
ACC: Florida State Seminoles
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Although rival Miami boasts, arguably, the nation's top safety pair, Florida State's overall unit is superb.
Renardo Green landed honorable mention All-ACC status last year, while Virginia transfer Fentrell Cypress garnered second-team recognition. They'll be a stout pair on the outside, while one of Greedy Vance Jr. or Kevin Knowles II presumably starts at nickel.
Top backups Azareye'h Thomas and Jarrian Jones also return, giving the Seminoles a deep group at corner.
Shyheim Brown notched 36 tackles as a freshman and is set to replace Jammie Robinson at safety alongside Akeem Dent, who has collected 97 stops over the last two seasons.
After allowing the country's fourth-fewest passing yards per game in 2022, FSU could be just as strong this fall.
Big Ten: Michigan Wolverines
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Given that Iowa's secondary ended 2022 with more touchdowns than the receiving corps, it's tempting to pick the Hawkeyes. Cooper DeJean in particular is a fantastic player for them.
Michigan, though, has a great mix of experience and upside.
Will Johnson played up to his 5-star billing as a true freshman and headlines the unit in 2023. Plus, the Wolverines return standout nickelback Mike Sainristil and safeties Rod Moore and Makari Paige.
After the departures of DJ Turner and Gemon Green, the Maize and Blue need to plug in a first-stringer opposite Johnson. They probably found that answer with transfer Josh Wallace, a four-year starter at UMass who broke up 20 passes in the last two seasons.
Michigan can expect another top-tier secondary as the team pursues a third consecutive Big Ten crown.
Big 12: TCU Horned Frogs
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One way or another, the Big 12 feels like a Lone Star battle. Texas and TCU should both be extremely confident in their secondaries.
Texas is stacked with seasoned depth and added notable transfers Gavin Holmes and Jalen Catalon. Since the Longhorns paced the Big 12 in yards allowed per pass attempt in 2022, optimism is rightfully high.
TCU fits a similar mold. While the lone departure is a big one—Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson won the Thorpe Award last season—the Horned Frogs return the rest of the rotation plus Florida transfer Avery Helm and junior college signees Channing Canada and Mason White.
First-team All-Big 12 corner Josh Newton and nickelback Bud Clark, the star of the Fiesta Bowl, headline the starters with Mark Perry and Millard Bradford back at safety.
C-USA: Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
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The problem for Western Kentucky in 2022 is that if the defense struggled, it was a pretty dreadful day. All five of the Hilltoppers' losses included no less than 31 points allowed.
Despite that, WKU only trailed UAB in yards allowed per pass attempt within Conference USA.
Upton Stout returns at corner with Davion Williams and Virgil Marshall headed for expanded roles. At safety, the 'Toppers are loaded with Talique Allen, Kendrick Simpkins and Rome Weber. They all contributed in regular spots last season, combining for 110 tackles.
Behind quarterback Austin Reed, the offense should be WKU's main strength. But this secondary has plenty of promise.
MAC: Toledo Rockets
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Given that corner Quinyon Mitchell and safety Maxen Hook both secured first-team All-MAC honors in 2022, it's not a surprise that Toledo finished the season with the league's stingiest pass defense.
They're both returning in 2023. And that's not all.
Beyond them, the Rockets also bring back second-team All-MAC safety Nate Bauer, nickel Zachary Ford, starting corner Chris McDonald and key reserves RJ Delancy III and Andre Fuller. Depth at safety is a question, but that's not close to a concern at corner.
Toledo, most importantly, is seeking a second conference title in a row. But the Rockets also have a strong opportunity at ceding the fewest yards per pass attempt for the third straight year.
MWC: Fresno State Bulldogs
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Fresno State's hope of back-to-back Mountain West championships is strengthened by its secondary.
Cam Lockridge grabbed five interceptions last season and is among the league's top corners. Late-season starter Carlton Johnson and nickelback Morice Norris are set to flank him in the lineup.
Dean Clark, who racked up 116 tackles for Kent State in 2021, provides much-needed experience at safety.
As long as one of Chrishawn Gordon and Steven Comstock settles in opposite Clark, the Bulldogs are ready for a run at leading the Mountain West in passing defense.
Pac-12: Cal Golden Bears
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Perhaps the most unexpected choice of the list, Cal has assembled a potentially thorny secondary.
Now, cornerback Jeremiah Earby and safety Craig Woodson may be familiar to fans within the league. Both of them landed honorable mention All-Pac-12 recognition last season.
But the Golden Bears brought in Patrick McMorris, a two-time first-team All-Mountain West safety at San Diego State. Additionally, they nabbed cornerback Nohl Williams after he posted 98 tackles, five interceptions and 10 pass breakups in three years with UNLV.
Factor in seasoned reserves Collin Gamble, Miles Williams, Isaiah Young, Lu-Magia Hearns and Tyson McWilliams with JUCO transfer Matthew Littlejohn, and Cal is quietly a well-constructed unit.
SEC: Georgia Bulldogs
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On the other hand, welcome to a conventional answer.
West Division foes Alabama, LSU and Texas A&M all have the talent to compete. Until proved otherwise, however, forgive me for sticking with the powerhouse that is Georgia.
Sure, the Dawgs lost corner Kelee Ringo and safety Christopher Smith to the NFL, but they return Kamari Lassiter on the outside, along with safety Malaki Starks and nickel Javon Bullard.
Bullard may shift to safety, which also has Dan Jackson and David Daniel-Sisavanh in reserve, so Tykee Smith can roam the slot in 2023.
The main question is the starter opposite Lassiter: Could it be Daylen Everette, Nyland Green or Julian Humphrey?
Georgia always finds an answer, though. Will the rest of the nation finally have a solution to end UGA's reign?
Sun Belt: South Alabama Jaguars
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Last year, the race for Sun Belt supremacy came down to South Alabama and Troy. We might see an encore in 2023.
That even applies to the defensive backfield, where Troy returns star corner Reddy Stewart, O'shai Fletcher and safety Dell Pettus. The reigning Sun Belt champions will have another pesky coverage unit.
But the edge belongs to South Alabama.
Not only is first-team All-Sun Belt nickel Yam Banks returning, but 2021 second-team safety Keith Gallmon Jr. is also back from a chest injury that sidelined him last season.
Starting corner Marquise Robinson, safeties Jaden Voisin and Jalen Jordan, and backup corner Ricky Fletcher complete a sturdy unit. South Alabama won't be thin on experience this season.
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