College Football's Top Defensive Backfields for 2015 Season
The secondary is the last line of defense in football, which usually means when things go wrong, it gets the blame—fair or not. And because football (and officiating) is so geared toward offense now, life can be tough in the defensive backfield.
So let's take a moment to recognize some great secondaries in college football and give a nod to some honorable mentions as well.
We ranked units based on returning starters and their accolades while also considering incoming players who could boost overall depth.
Just Missed the Cut
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Since we're going with 10 secondaries, there are bound to be a handful that just barely miss the cut. Here they are below, in alphabetical order:
Clemson: The defense has a lot to replace, but cornerback Mackensie Alexander is a rising star.
Kansas State: Danzel McDaniel is a hard-hitting corner, but can he improve in pass defense?
Michigan: Getting Jabrill Peppers back from ankle troubles helps the Wolverines.
UCLA: Ishmael Adams may lack size (5'8", 190 lbs), but he's one of the most physical defensive backs in the Pac-12.
Florida
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When you think about Florida's secondary, you think about star cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III. The junior is an absolute stud—an All-American who will surely be up for applicable individual awards at the end of next season and could be a high NFL draft pick.
He gets a ton attention, which means the Gators defensive backfield has to be more than him.
And it is. Brian Poole (10) and Jalen Tabor (8) were second and third on the team behind Hargreaves (13), respectively, in pass break-ups. Poole led the Gators with four interceptions. Hargreaves is going to get the publicity, but you could argue that Poole and Tabor are every bit as important because of how they round out the unit.
Florida's offense may be a work in progress, but its defense, especially in the secondary, is excellent.
Houston
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Let's hop outside the power conferences for a moment to shine some light on Houston. Known for high-flying offenses under Kevin Sumlin, the Cougars instead had a solid defense last year with Tony Levine at the helm.
There's a new coach in town—Tom Herman—but the Cougars secondary should remain a constant. William Jackson is hands-down one of the best corners in the American Athletic Conference, leading the team with 10 pass break-ups. Safeties Adrian McDonald and Trevon Stewart are reliable playmakers as well.
It'll be interesting to see how a retooled front seven affects the secondary play. Pass defense was the strength of this team a year ago; can it be again in 2015?
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
LSU
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In the debate over which school is "DBU," LSU has a strong case. Year after year, the Tigers reload in the secondary. That should happen again in 2015.
A couple of key starters from last year's group are gone: cornerback Jalen Collins and safety Ronald Martin.
However, safety Jalen Mills is returning and should be in the starting lineup unless there's an issue with his diversion program, which stems from a 2014 simple battery case. Tre’Davious White and Jamal Adams are both back as well. White is a surefire starter at corner, and Adams is coming into his own after starting two games a year ago.
Early enrollee Kevin Toliver adds to the competition at corner and has been impressive during spring. Overall, this is a young group—but one that could have multiple All-SEC players.
Ohio State
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Congratulations, Big Ten teams (and Virginia Tech): You get to play basically the same Ohio State squad from a year ago.
You know, the one that won a national championship.
For having to break in a lot of young players in the back end, Ohio State's pass defense was solid in 2014, coming in at No. 29 overall in the country. In all, the Buckeyes gave up 6.1 yards per pass attempt and 17 touchdowns. That group is now more experienced and ready for Act II. Vonn Bell, Tyvis Powell and Eli Apple, who accounted for 13 of Ohio State's 25 interceptions, are back.
All three of those players could be high picks in the NFL draft next season.
Apple is cementing himself as one of the best corners in the Big Ten after leading the team in pass break-ups (10) as a redshirt freshman. The Buckeyes should once again have an elite pass rush with Joey Bosa, meaning there could be a lot of turnovers coming this secondary's way.
Ole Miss
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Here's the question Ole Miss must answer in 2015: How, exactly, do you replace guys like Senquez Golson and Cody Prewitt? They weren't just starters; they were All-SEC and All-American players.
According to Golson, however, that won't be a problem. In fact, the 2015 Ole Miss secondary could be even better without him and Prewitt.
"I think they'll be better than we were last year, to be honest," Golson told Riley Blevins of the Jackson Clarion-Ledger.
That's a lofty statement, but consider that the Rebels have outstanding depth in the secondary. Trae Elston and Mike Hilton are veteran players and will slide into starting roles. Tony Conner, one of the crown jewels of the '13 class, also has a number of starts under his belt.
C.J. Hampton has been one of head coach Hugh Freeze's favorite players this spring, per Austin Miller of OleMissSports.com, and JUCO transfer Tee Shepard is finally healthy after missing last season with a toe injury.
When you recruit well and build depth, the "next man up" mantra becomes a lot easier to implement. Despite losing Golson and Prewitt, the Rebels are in position to do just that next season.
Penn State
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Penn State's defense was the reason the Nittany Lions went bowling a year ago. Both the run defense and pass defense were best in the Big Ten in terms of yards per play.
The good news there is that the secondary returns basically intact—minus departed safety Adrian Amos, who is now a member of the Chicago Bears. Marcus Allen, Jordan Lucas and Trevor Williams are anchors for a deep defensive backfield. As Audrey Snyder of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette notes, Penn States has "17 scholarships invested in defensive backs, including 11 who are sophomores or younger."
Grant Haley and Christian Campbell are two of those young defensive backs who contributed as freshmen. Both recorded a pair of pass break-ups and played in at least 10 games.
Temple
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It won't move the needle much, but Temple is the most experienced football team in 2015, according to college football matrix. If you're looking for a non-Power Five team that could slip into a New Year's Six bowl game, take a look at the Owls.
What they have coming back on defense is excellent, including in the secondary.
Only San Jose State allowed fewer passing touchdowns than Temple last year (the Owls allowed nine passing touchdowns). Sophomore corner Sean Chandler emerged as one of the team's best playmakers, and the secondary will be littered with seniors.
One of the most improved defenses from 2013 to '14 should be every bit as good again (if not better) in 2015.
USC
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USC's defensive line is a major problem that the team didn't solve during spring. There are simply too many injuries and depth issues that USC can't answer for a few months—at least. If there's an Achilles' heel to the Trojans' playoff hype, it's that.
The secondary, though? That shouldn't be a problem. As Kyle Kensing of Athlon Sports notes, what was an inexperienced, inconsistent group last year should be far more stable in 2015. (To be clear, though, when USC's secondary was good last season, it was good.)
Adoree' Jackson is only going to be a sophomore, and he's already one of the better cover guys in the Pac-12, if not the country. His athleticism allows him to play multiple positions on offense, defense and special teams, but he's a natural corner.
Su'a Cravens spent a lot of time at linebacker, but he's good enough to move around and is still unofficially part of that defensive backfield. With blue-chip corner Iman Marshall coming in, the Trojans should have some immediate help as well.
Virginia Tech
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When you have cornerback Kendall Fuller and defensive coordinator Bud Foster on the same sideline, good things tend to happen.
Fuller is a proven All-American and All-ACC selection, but the Hokies aren't deprived of playmakers elsewhere. This is a group that returns two starters after allowing just 13 passing touchdowns last year. Chuck Clark is a versatile athlete who can play corner and safety, and C.J. Reavis looks like he'll man the rover position.
This is a big, physical group, too, with a good blend of size and speed. Add in the fact that the Hokies have one of the best pass-rushing duos in college football—Dadi Nicolas and Ken Ekanem—and that makes secondary coverage that much better.
West Virginia
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Defense has been a liability for West Virginia since the Mountaineers joined the Big 12 in 2012. Slowly, however, WVU has become less laughable on that side of the ball. Defensive coordinator Tony Gibson has had a stabilizing effect.
"It has a lot of experience," head coach Dana Holgorsen said of the unit, via Big12Sports.com. "Getting us in a place defensively is something that we've obviously focused on around here for three or four years. We've got great defensive continuity with our coaching staff. We have 15, 16 guys that have started games. We're developing a lot of depth on that side of the ball."
In 2015, defense is what could carry West Virginia, not hinder it. The 'Eers secondary is an experienced bunch, led by safety Karl Joseph. One of the hardest hitters in the Big 12, Joseph was second on the team with 90 tackles last year and should be an All-Big 12 contender this year.
However, the entire secondary returns. K.J. Dillon, Daryl Worley and Terrell Chestnut have all had great moments, and the 'Eers finished second in the Big 12 behind only Texas in yards per pass attempt allowed.
Ben Kercheval is a lead writer for college football. All stats courtesy of cfbstats.com. All quotes cited unless obtained firsthand.
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