WKU’s secondary has great expectations for itself in year two under defensive coordinator Clayton White, and the group has been one of the most impressive units in fall camp.

Last season, the Hilltopper defense recorded 10 interceptions, which ranked 67th in the country, and allowed 2,413 passing yards, which ranked 38th. 

Head coach Mike Sanford said Saturday that he sees the secondary as a real strength in fall camp.

“I think [it’s] one of the strongest units on our football team,” Sanford said. “For me it’s really hard to think about the development of Antwon Kincade and the development of Kyle Bailey, and they’re playing lights out football at safety for us and it’s hard for them to get on the field because you have Drell Greene and Devon Key that are playing at an incredibly high level.”

WKU’s defensive backs are looking to improve this year to compete with quarterbacks like Middle Tennessee’s Brent Stockstill and North Texas’ Mason Fine. They’re also looking to improve to meet the standards they’re setting for themselves.

“We’re trying to be top 15 in the country in all categories,” Key, a redshirt sophomore safety, said previously. He reiterated that goal after WKU’s scrimmage and open practice at Barren County High School Saturday.

Key said that he feels the group is making its necessary improvement, and that experience under White has been a big factor.

“I definitely think that we’ve gotten better as a defense,” Key said. “Just going in to year two of coach White’s system just helped us a lot, just learning everything that goes in to what he puts in.”

White said that he thought the group had done a good job of improving over the course of fall camp.

“I’m really impressed with how they’ve come to work every day as far as just learning our defense,” White said. “We had a call sheet with 80-to-90 plays on it for the scrimmage yesterday and they were ready. A lot goes on my DBs as far as mentally making checks and getting the defense in the right stuff.”

White also mentioned things that he felt the secondary could still use work on before the end of camp.

“Island tackles, I call them,” White said. “Whenever you are out by yourself, you’ve got to make those tackles. Can’t give up big plays for touchdowns, and obviously turnovers.”

Redshirt senior defensive back DeAndre Farris, who also said earlier in camp that he wanted WKU to be a top defense statistically, added Saturday that the secondary was doing well and felt good about its high aspirations. 

“We feel pretty confident,” Farris said. “As of right now we’ve actually got our hands on a lot of balls. We put a lot of emphasis on getting our hands on the balls and being opportunistic when the ball’s in the air. Right now, we’re just trying to come out of camp being healthy and come together as a unit.”

Farris also spoke of how practicing against freshman quarterback Kevaris Thomas has helped the secondary grow.

“He’s a bigger body,” Farris said. “I don’t know if we play too many big quarterbacks, but when we do we’ll be able to tackle them, just because they’ve allowed him to go live.”

Key said that he feels the group has improved and that experience has been a big factor.

“I definitely think that we’ve gotten better as a defense,” Key said. “Just going in to year two of coach White’s system just helped us a lot, just learning everything that goes in to what he puts in.”

The secondary and the rest of the team will have a strong test to start the season Aug. 31 at Wisconsin. The Badgers ranked top 25 in the nation in offensive efficiency last year. 

Reporter Matt Stahl can be reached at 270-745-6291 and [email protected] Follow him on Twitter at @mattstahl97.