Without question, the Western Kentucky secondary is the strength of the Hilltoppers’ defense going into the 2013 season.

Seven players in the defensive backfield have combined to play 190 games in a WKU uniform and return to a unit that ranked first in 2012 in the Sun Belt Conference in pass efficiency defense and total defense, and second in pass defense and interceptions.

“With the experience that they have, they have football awareness,” WKU cornerbacks coach Ricky Brumfield said. “You don’t have to tell them the intricacies of every single coverage that we’re running. They understand.”

The projected starting four features two seniors and two juniors who have combined to make 262 solo tackles, 110 assists and 14 interceptions.

Those numbers don’t include the 100 solo tackles and three career interceptions from senior safety Kiante Young, currently working with the No. 2 defense in fall camp and joining the first-team in five and six defensive back coverages.

“In the meeting rooms, workouts, we go hard every time we do something,” the senior from Gainesville, Ga., said. “We’re like a big family. We make sure that we’re always on each others’ back, so one mistake, somebody’s telling you about it. We take a lot of pride in it and we try and be the best.”

Only four more players in Football Bowl Subdivision had more interceptions than Dowling’s six in 2012. The junior, who played at Florida in 2010, is lining up alongside both Tyree Robinson and Arius Wright at safety this fall.

Cam Thomas has held steady at one cornerback position, whether it be opposite Robinson or Wright.

Redshirt sophomore Prince Charles Iworah is next in line at cornerback with converted wide receiver Rico Brown. Junior Ricardo Singh and true freshman Marcus Ward have been filling in at safety behind Dowling and Young.

“We don’t label the secondary as ones, twos, and threes,” Robinson said. “We don’t label anybody as that, everybody is going to play, everybody is going to know what they’re supposed to do. When one person goes down, we always got to count on the next person to come in and step up.”

Western Kentucky’s defense gave up 209.8 yards passing per game in 2012, making it the 34th best pass defense in the nation.

With those kind of standards and the experience coming back in 2013, Brumfield said there is a fine line between being confident and becoming overconfident.

“The term they like to use is that little ‘swag’ thing, but they are confident,” he said. “I think when you think you’re the best, a lot of times you’re going to play like the best.

“We always want to work to be the best, and we want to work to be great. We always talk about instead of being good, we want to be great. We want to have that confidence to where we are confident, to where we feel like we are the best – but we also have to work that way every single play.”

Scrimmage, Fan Fest today

The Hilltoppers are scheduled to practice for the 15th time this fall when the team scrimmages at 9 a.m. today at Houchens-Smith Stadium. The practice is open to the public.

At 2 p.m. at the Carroll Knicely Conference Center, the program will hold Fan Fest in which players and coaches will sign autographs. The event is free.

— Chad Bishop covers Western Kentucky University athletics for the Daily News. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/MrChadBishop or visit bgdailynews.com.