10 College Football Teams Whose Defense Is Their Calling Card

Offense dominates the national college football conversation, but despite the increased scoring numbers and the frantic pace of play, some teams still make their living on defense.

These teams, while rare, have proved over a sustained length of time that they can take it to opposing offenses. They are physical and disciplined and always give their team a chance to win, even when their own offense struggles.

This list made heavy use of the F/+ ratings at Football Outsiders, an opponent-adjusted metric for efficiency. It also looked for prolonged defensive success as the benchmark of a program.

Teams like Ole Miss and Clemson, for example, fielded top-five defenses last season, but before that, they had not made defense their calling card. Same goes for Florida State and Wisconsin, who have relied as much on offense as on defense.

They are not what we were looking for.

Instead, we looked for programs that have forged a legit defensive identity. We measured F/+ over a five-year sample, but even three straight years of high-level play was enough. Really, we just didn't want to overreact after one or two great seasons.

Sound off below, and let us know what you think.

Alabama

USA TODAY Sports

Five-Year Defensive F/+: 23.7%     Average Rank: 4.25

Under head coach Nick Saban and coordinator Kirby Smart—a pair that's worked together since 2008—Alabama has fielded consistently great defenses. And great might be an understatement.

This past year was a slight regression, but when "slight regression" means finishing in the top 15 in total defense (yards allowed per game), you're doing something right. That average F/+ rank of 4.25 is insane.

Three-Year All-Conference First Team

• DT Johnathan Allen (2014)
• LB Reggie Ragland (2014)
• S Landon Collins (2014)
• LB C.J. Mosley (2013, 2012)
• CB Dee Milliner (2012)

Three-Year All-Conference Second Team

• CB Cyrus Jones (2014)
• LB Trey DePriest (2013)
• S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (2013)
• S Landon Collins (2013)

Florida

USA TODAY Sports

Five-Year Defensive F/+: 12.7%     Average Rank: 18.4

Under former head coach Will Muschamp and coordinator D.J. Durkin, Florida became a defensive juggernaut.

Jim McElwain, an offense-first head coach, leads the new regime, which leaves obvious questions along the defense. So does the hiring of defensive coordinator Randy Shannon, who's only been a linebackers coach the past three seasons.

Still, based on its track record, Florida had to earn a spot on this list. Omitting it would have been unfair to the players.

Three-Year All-Conference First Team

• CB Vernon Hargreaves III (2014, 2013)
• DT Sharrif Floyd (2012)
• S Matt Elam (2012)

Three-Year All-Conference Second Team

• LB Antonio Morrison (2014)
• DE Dante Fowler Jr. (2013)
• CB Loucheiz Purifoy (2013)
• CB Marcus Roberson (2012)

LSU

USA TODAY Sports

Five-Year Defensive F/+: 14.9%     Average Rank: 14.4

Save one backward season in 2013, LSU has been a defense-first, offense-second program under head coach Les Miles. Seriously, how does a team with such well-documented quarterback issues win so many games?

Defensive coordinator John Chavis left for Texas A&M this offseason, and his replacement, Kevin Steele, was a slightly unpopular choice. But this is still LSU we're talking about: The way it recruits hasn't changed, and neither will the violent way it plays.

Three-Year All-Conference First Team

• LB Kevin Minter (2012)
• S Eric Reid (2012)

Three-Year All-Conference Second Team

• LB Kwon Alexander (2014)
• S Ronald Martin (2014)
• DT Anthony Johnson (2013)
• LB Lamin Barrow (2013)

Michigan State

USA TODAY Sports

Five-Year Defensive F/+: 16.0%     Average Rank: 13.6

Head coach Mark Dantonio has crafted Michigan State in his image. The Spartans take care of business on defense, playing a blue-collar style that in 2013-14 made them Rose Bowl champions.

Defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi left for Pittsburgh this offseason, but MSU promoted assistants Mike Tressel and Harlon Bennett to replace him. Both have learned the Narduzzi-Dantonio way.

Three-Year All-Conference First Team

• DE Shilique Calhoun (2014, 2013)
• S Kurtis Drummond (2014)
• CB Trae Waynes (2014)
• LB Max Bullough (2013)
• CB Darqueze Dennard (2013)

Three-Year All-Conference Second Team

• LB Denicos Allen (2013)
• S Kurtis Drummond (2013)
• DE William Gholston (2012)
• LB Max Bullough (2012)
• CB Johnny Adams (2012)
• CB Darqueze Dennard (2012)

Missouri

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Five-Year Defensive F/+: 9.8%     Average Rank: 23

Missouri has reinvented itself since arriving in the SEC. Gary Pinkel's team was once an offensive powerhouse, led by the likes of Chase Daniel, Blaine Gabbert and Jeremy Maclin. But now? It has one of the most consistently vicious defenses in America.

Coordinator Dave Steckel left this winter for Missouri State, but the Tigers replaced him with alumnus Barry Odom, who in 2014 helped Memphis win a share of the AAC title.

Three-Year All-Conference First Team

• DE Shane Ray (2014)
• DE Michael Sam (2013)
• DE Kony Ealy (2013)
• CB E.J. Gaines (2013)
• DT Sheldon Richardson (2012)

Three-Year All-Conference Second Team

• LB Kentrell Brothers (2014)
• S Braylon Webb (2014)
• LB Andrew Wilson (2013)

Penn State

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

Five-Year Defensive F/+: 10.2%     Average Rank: 23

Head coach James Franklin and (especially) coordinator Bob Shoop fielded an aggressive defense that could hang with any team in the country—eventual national champion Ohio State included.

Not bad for their first year in Happy Valley.

Really, though, the Nittany Lions have played this way for a while. Before the new regime, former coordinator Tom Bradley built Penn State into "Linebacker U." Based on how Mike Hull played last season, that title still belongs at State College.

Three-Year All-Conference First Team

• DT Anthony Zettel (2014)
• LB Mike Hull (2014)
• DT Jordan Hill (2012)
• LB Michael Mauti (2012)

Three-Year All-Conference Second Team

• DT DaQuan Jones (2013)
• LB Gerald Hodges (2012)

Stanford

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Five-Year Defensive F/+: 16.0%     Average Rank: 8.6

Former head coach Jim Harbaugh and current head coach David Shaw have built something truly unique at Stanford. Despite not recruiting as well as, say, Alabama, the Cardinal have averaged a top-10 finish in the five-year defensive F/+ rankings.

Several major programs tried to hire Stanford assistants this offseason, but each was unsuccessful—something Paul Myerberg of USA Today called a "strong statement about Shaw."

Really, why would anyone want to leave?

Three-Year All-Conference First Team

• DE Henry Anderson (2014)
• S Jordan Richards (2014)
• DE Ben Gardner (2013)
• LB Trent Murphy (2013, 2012)
• LB Shane Skov (2013)
• S Ed Reynolds (2013, 2012)
• LB Chase Thomas (2012)

Three-Year All-Conference Second Team

• LB A.J. Tarpley (2014)
• DE Henry Anderson (2012)
• DE Ben Gardner (2012)

TCU

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Five-Year Defensive F/+: 13.8%      Average Rank: 14.8

TCU had its best offensive season since…ever in 2014, but this is still a defense-first program. Head coach Gary Patterson and coordinator Dick Bumpas have mastered the 4-2-5 alignment, which has allowed them, more than anything, to nullify spread offenses.

Bumpas retired this offseason, but TCU promoted DeMontie Cross and Chad Glasgow to replace him. Glasgow spent one year at Texas Tech in 2011 but has otherwise been with Patterson for 13 years.

"Patterson is a defensive guy and has assembled a spectacular defensive staff," wrote Ben Kercehval of Bleacher Report. "He should have absolute confidence in promoting from within."

Three-Year All-Conference First Team

• LB Paul Dawson (2014)
• S Chris Hackett (2014)
• CB Jason Verrett (2013, 2012)
• DE Devonte Fields (2012)
• DE Stansly Maponga (2012)

Three-Year All-Conference Second Team

• DT Chucky Hunter (2014, 2013, 2012)
• S Sam Carter (2014, 2013, 2012)
• CB Kevin White (2014)
• LB Kenny Cain (2012)

Utah State

Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images

Five-Year Defensive F/+: 5.9%     Average Rank: 44.2

Utah State has assembled one of the best defenses in the country—and not just for a Group of Five program. The Aggies finished No. 30 in defensive F/+ last season, No. 8 in 2013 and No. 9 in 2012.

And remember: That's an opponent-adjusted metric. In raw yards per play allowed, which doesn't account for opponent, they finished No. 13 in 2014, No. 5 in 2013 and No. 3 in 2012.

Three-Year All-Conference First Team*

• DE B.J. Larsen (2014)
• LB Nick Vigil (2014)
• LB Zach Vigil (2014)
• S Frankie Sutera (2014)
• LB Jake Doughty (2013, 2012)
• CB Nevin Lawson (2013)
• LB Kyler Fackrell (2012)
• DL Al Lapuaho (2012)
• CB Will Davis (2012)

Three-Year All-Conference Second Team*

• DE B.J. Larsen (2013)
• DT AJ Pataiali'i (2013)
• LB Kyler Fackrell (2013)
• LB Zach Vigil (2013, 2012)
• DE Jordan Nielsen (2012)
• DB McKade Brady (2012)
• CB Nevin Lawson (2012)

*Utah State moved from the WAC to the MWC after 2012.

Virginia Tech

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Five-Year Defensive F/+: 13.8     Average Rank: 15.2

Virginia Tech's offense (and special teams) has fallen off a cliff, but the team has remained competitive because of its defense. Head coach Frank Beamer and coordinator Bud Foster have been at this a long time, and even during a down 2014 season, they managed a highlight victory over eventual national champion Ohio State.

"We put all our eggs in one basket so to speak in that game," Foster told Andrea Adelson of ESPN.com, referring to his now famous "double-eagle" defense. "It didn’t matter who the quarterback was. We were going to go with that package."

Only a select few coaches can outsmart Urban Meyer and Tom Herman. Foster, it would seem, is one of them.

Three-Year All-Conference First Team

• CB Kendall Fuller (2014) 

Three-Year All-Conference Second Team

• DE Dadi Nicolas (2014)
• DT Derrick Hopkins (2013)
• LB Jack Tyler (2013, 2012)
• CB Kendall Fuller (2013)
• DE James Gayle (2012)
• CB Antone Exum (2012)