For Texas Christian, the 4-2-5 means W-I-N

This didn’t happen overnight.

The rise of the Texas Christian defense to college football preeminence in the last few years was more than two decades in the making.

Horned Frogs Coach Gary Patterson is the master of a 4-2-5 scheme that has Texas Christian on the brink of leading the nation in defense for the third consecutive season.

“We just kind of kept changing and improving it to where it’s kind of survived the times,” Patterson said.

The third-ranked Horned Frogs (12-0) get their biggest test Saturday when they play fifth-ranked Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl.

Wisconsin (11-1) features a huge offensive line, a running back corps that could finish with three 1,000-yard rushers and a quarterback who leads the nation in completion percentage. The Badgers scored more than 70 points three times.

But that is not expected to faze a Texas Christian defense that has given up only 11.4 points and 215.4 yards per game.

The Horned Frogs thrive by creating confusion at the line of scrimmage, disguising coverages and swarming to the ball with speedy athletes taught to utilize leverage.

“They’re a little bit different than the routine stuff that we see here in the Big Ten,” Wisconsin Coach Bret Bielema said.

All-American defensive end Wayne Daniels, linebackers Tank Carder and Tanner Brock and All-American safety Tejay Johnson are some of the standout performers for a unit that:

—Ranks first nationally in scoring defense, total defense, pass defense and fewest first downs given up per game.

—Gave up only nine offensive touchdowns and nine points per game in Mountain West Conference play.

—Held seven opponents to fewer than 200 yards.

“I think it’s the coaching staff and the way the program grows younger players,” Johnson, a senior, said when asked to explain the Horned Frogs’ defensive success. “From the time we come in, we’re told, ‘We’re preparing you as if you are the starter.’ ”

Patterson joined Texas Christian’s staff as defensive coordinator in 1998. Two years later, his final season in the position before succeeding Dennis Franchione as coach, the Horned Frogs led the nation in defense. They also accomplished the feat in 2002.

In 2004, Patterson brought in veteran defensive coordinator Dick Bumpas, who had coached with Patterson at Kansas State, Tennessee Tech, Utah State and Navy.

Five years later, Texas Christian’s top-ranked defense helped the Horned Frogs finish the 2009 regular season unbeaten before losing to Boise State, 17-10, in the Fiesta Bowl.

Despite the departure of defensive end Jerry Hughes, the Indianapolis Colts’ No. 1 draft pick in April, and linebacker Daryl Washington, a second-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals, Texas Christian’s defense has continued to thrive.

An outstanding effort against Wisconsin could help the Horned Frogs join Toledo and Oklahoma as the only schools to lead the nation in total defense in three consecutive seasons.

Ten years after Oklahoma did it from 1985 to 1987, Patterson was New Mexico’s defensive coordinator when he penned a coaching manual essay titled: “Multiplicity but Simplicity: Why the 4-2-5 Defense.”

Over the last 13 years, Patterson and staff members have tinkered with the scheme.

“Every year we try to tweak it a little bit,” he said.

But not too much.

And that has helped keep Texas Christian on top, Johnson said.

“It’s pretty simple once you get the concepts,” he said. “That’s been a key part.”

gary.klein@latimes.com

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