Setting the standard the goal for the defense

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Setting the standard the goal for Auburn defense

ByJason Caldwell

4-5 minutes

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AUBURN, Alabama—Despite the losses of first round NFL selections Derrick Brown and Noah Igbinoghene, second-rounder Marlon Davidson, fifth round pick Daniel Thomas and veterans Javaris Davis, Jeremiah Dinson and Nick Coe, Auburn defensive players have said they expect to be one of the better units in the country under coordinator Kevin Steele. That’s because those are the expectations set by the coaching staff and the veteran players who take on the leadership roles each year for the Tigers.

Heading into the 2020 season things start with the linebacker group for Coach Travis Williams with senior K.J. Britt back to lead the way along with junior ZaKoby McClain and sophomore Owen Pappoe. Looking for a fourth player to step up to take the spot of senior Chandler Wooten, who opted out of the season, Britt said no matter who it is that player will have to understand how things are done at linebacker in Auburn’s defense.

“It’s going to be a battle and in Coach T-Will’s room, regardless, nothing is given, but much is required,” Britt said. “The standard is going to be the standard no matter who is going to be the fourth linebacker. I’m not even promised to start so it’s like you just got to come to work. You can’t really put a guy there or a number there right now.

“First and foremost, I’ve got to make sure, Zakoby's got to make sure, Owen's got to make sure, the guys that played last year got to make sure that we are doing our part or we will see nothing but a two-guy rotation out there. It’s like everybody just has to come to work every day, day in and day out.  You don’t feel like it, come to work. When you feel like it, come to work. That’s the way that the fourth linebacker or the fifth linebacker or the sixth linebacker is going to be able to play. Keep chopping wood, staying positive and just getting ready to play.”

Something that should help the defense is being in the same system under Steele and company. Even for a sophomore like Pappoe it's a big deal as far as knowing the defense and understanding what his role is.

"It helps out a lot," Pappoe said. "It’s kind of funny, too, looking at film from last year, it’s almost like, ‘Oh man, how did I mess that up, man?’ It’s almost like it’s easy to us now. I wouldn’t say I’m perfect with it right now, but I’m by far way better than I was last year, being comfortable in this system so being in the same system for multiple years,it definitely helps throughout the whole entire defense."

While the linebackers have plenty of experience and production returning, up front Coach Rodney Garner has to replace Brown and Davidson, who combined for 103 tackles, 11.5 sacks and 25 tackles for a loss during the 2019 sesason.

Seniors such as Big Kat Bryant, T.D. Moultry and Tyrone Truesdell have been three-year contributors for the Tigers with fellow senior Daquan Newkirk giving Auburn four mature players to lead the way for a group of talented newcomers. Counting on many of them to play a role this season in a year when depth could be at a premium, Bryant said he agreed with Britt that it all starts with the expectations they have on defense.

“First thing is we have to let the guys know the standard, like how we go about things, the way this thing is built,” Bryant said. “That’s first and foremost so that’s something we had to let them guys know, man, and things like taking care of the little things. Always make sure your sprints are done—just something that’s huge, taking care of the little things to make sure they lead to the bigger things.

“Tyrone, man, we’ve been real tough on these guys, man. I’m not going to lie because, like, times are uncertain and we have limited time. We’ve been a little tough on the guys, encouraging too, but we’ve been a little bit tougher on the guys than probably usual in any other year because of everything else that’s going on.”

The Tigers, who did not have spring practice this year due to classes being moved from on-campus sessions to -line following the covid-19 outbreak, are prepared for a revised 2020 schedule of 10 SEC games set to begin on Sept. 26th vs. Kentucky.

 

Kevin Steele is Auburn's defensive coordinator. (Photo: Daniel Dunn/Icon Sportswire via , Getty) 4COMMENTS

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