Editor's note: With the 2020 Nevada football season postponed until the spring semester, NevadaWolfPack.com is taking a look at the Wolf Pack program on a position-by-position basis this fall. This week's focus: defensive backs.

Like many areas on the defensive side of the ball, the Wolf Pack defensive backs have also been subject to coaching changes in the offseason. Earlier this year, Nevada welcomed in Freddie Banks to lead the cornerbacks and Ronnie Wheat to guide the safeties.

Banks came to Reno after a two-year stint at Stephen F. Austin where his Lumberjacks ranked second in the Southland Conference in pass defense during his tenure. Wheat joined the Pack fresh off a national championship as a lead defensive analyst for LSU where he spent seven seasons with the Tigers.

Despite the coaching changes to both areas in the secondary, Nevada returns many familiar faces at cornerback and safety. One of those returners was the Wolf Pack's leading tackler from a year ago, junior Tyson Williams. Williams is expected to once again lead the safeties group in his third season after posting 85 tackles in 2019, which ranked in the top 20 in the Mountain West. The Alabama native has also garnered some preseason recognition from college football outlets such as Athlon Sports and Phil Steele Magazine.

Nevada received some good news in the offseason too with the announcement that E.J. Muhammed had been granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA, giving him one more go-around with the Pack in 2020-21. Muhammed was one of Nevada's most productive cornerbacks last season as he ranked second on the team in tackles and added six pass breakups. In his sixth year of eligibility, Muhammad is one of the Pack's most experienced student-athletes boasting 35 career appearances.

Other returners who saw significant playing time in 2019 and should see that momentum carry into the new season include seniors Berdale Robins, Austin Arnold and Mar'Quette Jackson, junior Jordan Lee and sophomore Emany Johnson. Those five combined for 159 total tackles last season, led by 51 from Arnold. There were a handful of student-athletes who saw a lot of playing time of special teams in 2019 who could fight for starting roles in the secondary as well including junior Christian Swint and sophomores Jaden Dedman and Jayce Godley.