Eason brings passion to D-line

[aubiefifty 18,231]

New coach Nick Eason brings 'overflowing passion' to Auburn D-line

ByNathan King Mar 4, 8:00 AM

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As a proud alum who “bleeds orange and blue every day," Josh Bynes couldn’t have picked a more perfect landing spot for one of his favorite former coaches to end up in 2021.

Bynes, one of Auburn’s best, current NFL players, now with the Cincinnati Bengals, got to know new Auburn defensive line coach Nick Eason during their lone season together in Cincinnati last year. Though Eason, who has seven years of experience coaching NFL D-lines, wasn’t Bynes’ exact position coach at linebacker, Bynes developed a strong relationship and opinion of him, and is ecstatic for Eason to experience the same Auburn program Bynes raves about so often to his teammates and coaches in the NFL.

“Coach Eason is so great,” Bynes told Auburn Undercover. “I had a great time with him this past season. He’s a genuine coach who only wants his players to be as successful as they can be.”

A fourth-round pick out of Clemson in 2003, Eason played 10 years in the NFL before taking his first coaching job as a defensive line assistant with the Browns in 2013. He took a similar position with the Titans in 2014 before being promoted to the team’s primary D-line coach two years later. He made a pit stop at FCS Austin Peay in 2018.

Eason coached the Bengals’ defensive line the past two seasons, mentoring Pro Bowl defensive tackle Geno Atkins and former Auburn edge rusher Carl Lawson.

“For him, he’s been in the league and played 11 or 12 years, and he knows what it takes to be successful and for players to reach that level,” Bynes said. “That’s the level everyone wants to reach, so I think he brings that dynamic to these guys at Auburn — they know he can get them to the league and knows how to get to the league.”

When Rodney Garner was not retained off last year’s staff, former Auburn great Tracy Rocker was pegged with the D-line job but didn’t hang around long. He spurned Bryan Harsin and company a couple weeks later, leaving Auburn to coach the Philadelphia Eagles’ defensive line.

Three days after Rocker was reported to be gone, Harsin hired Eason, who was let go by the Bengals in December.

“After a 10-year NFL career, he moved right into coaching and quickly became an NFL position coach within two years — that’s something that doesn’t happen every day and speaks volumes for his coaching and connection ability,” Harsin said. “As we got to know Nick better through this process, the football part of it became very apparent as he is a great teacher. But what stands out about Nick, in addition, is his personality, professionalism and an ability to form a relationship with people very quickly.”

Bynes, a second team All-SEC selection at linebacker on Auburn's 2010 national championship team, echoed those sentiments. Though Eason doesn’t have much experience recruiting or coaching the college level, Bynes saw a college-like approach to his coaching style in Cincinnati, always putting the players first and always making himself available, on and off the field.

“What stands out is how much he cares,” Bynes said. “He has so much love and overflowing passion for the players, it really jumps out at you. That really made me appreciate him a lot even though I was only with him for one year. It was all about us, the players.”’

In Cincinnati, Eason’s easygoing demeanor spread throughout the team. He’s intense, sure, but never to the point where the Bengals forgot how much he cared.

"He can bring everyone out of their shell,” Bengals tight end Sam Hubbard said in a story at Bengals.com last year. “He gets everyone involved. He's easy to talk to."

Bynes expects every player along Auburn’s defensive line, regardless of age, recruiting ranking or experience, to get a clean slate from Eason in terms of hierarchy and playing time.

11COMMENTS

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"When he talks to us, he's talking about the best way to do it because he's done it," former Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap said in a story at Bengals.com. "On the chalkboard everything looks good and should work within the rules, but pieces move in a real game, and he understands that."

Eason’s defensive line will begin spring practice March 16. Returning tackle-for-loss leader Colby Wooden figures to be Eason's best player to work with, but he has a handful of other talented, albeit inexperienced pieces to play with, too.

[aubiefifty 18,231]

i am gonna confess this article has me fired up. if our kids pick up that passion and show it on the field i think we improve. of course we need talent but would you rather have a player that plays hard because a man rides you hard at practice or a man with so much passion he makes you want to run through walls for him?

[McLoofus 35,182]

10 minutes ago, aubiefifty said:

would you rather have a player that plays hard because a man rides you hard at practice or a man with so much passion he makes you want to run through walls for him?

Not to be argumentative, but the best coaches know which players need which brand of motivation. But generally speaking, energy and passion are a huge plus. Even better, Eason has a chance to improve how our guys are taught technique and scheme. This hire only seems better the more we learn about Eason. 

[aubiefifty 18,231]

1 minute ago, McLoofus said:

Not to be argumentative, but the best coaches know which players need which brand of motivation. But generally speaking, energy and passion are a huge plus. Even better, Eason has a chance to improve how our guys are taught technique and scheme. This hire only seems better the more we learn about Eason. 

i played one year of football.one. my coach worked for my stepdad and this was in the military and he hated my old man so he took it out on me. i got so sick of his crap and bull in the ring but i refused to give him the satisfaction of quitting. however i never played again as he basically ruined it for me. and of course i never reported it. he would pick me up by my shoulder pads and pants and throw me into people. i will admit he toughened me up. as for eason he is my favorite hire so far.

[McLoofus 35,182]

1 minute ago, aubiefifty said:

i played one year of football.one. my coach worked for my stepdad and this was in the military and he hated my old man so he took it out on me. i got so sick of his crap and bull in the ring but i refused to give him the satisfaction of quitting. however i never played again as he basically ruined it for me. and of course i never reported it. he would pick me up by my shoulder pads and pants and throw me into people. i will admit he toughened me up. as for eason he is my favorite hire so far.

I actually had a similar, but probably less extreme experience. Can't blame it on my dad, though. It was just me the coaches didn't like, lol. 

[aubiefifty 18,231]

Just now, McLoofus said:

I actually had a similar, but probably less extreme experience. Can't blame it on my dad, though. It was just me the coaches didn't like, lol. 

looking back i am sure that was part of my problem as well. we were aya. american youth organization football in germany. we did go eleven and two. the same team that stomped.....and i do mean stomped us won it all. but hell they had a hundred kids to our thirtyish. we beat worms which only had twelve players but still wanted to play. that always impressed me even tho they got killed pretty much every single game.

[W.E.D 11,071]

16 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

Not to be argumentative, but the best coaches know which players need which brand of motivation.

I think this is one thing Rodney lacked.  He had one way.  It works for some, but drives others away.  Everyone isn't the same.  Need different paths and motivation tools for different people.

There a lot of psychological methods about this in the workplace, I'm sure it's the same in sports.  I know other schools rely heavily on sports psychology, Bama being one.  It's one area (of many) we need to mimic and use.

[McLoofus 35,182]

2 minutes ago, W.E.D said:

I think this is one thing Rodney lacked.  He had one way.  It works for some, but drives others away.  Everyone isn't the same.  Need different paths and motivation tools for different people.

There a lot of psychological methods about this in the workplace, I'm sure it's the same in sports.  I know other schools rely heavily on sports psychology, Bama being one.  It's one area (of many) we need to mimic and use.

We've probably all heard the stories of coaches just mercilessly riding certain guys. Not because they deserved it, but because they could take it. The guys that the coach was really sending a message to couldn't. I feel like I've heard this about Belichick and Brady. 

Just one more reason why the correlation between playing experience/success and coaching ability is tenuous at best. Man management is a huge component at every level. 

 

[augolf1716 21,969]

1 hour ago, McLoofus said:

It was just me the coaches didn't like, 

I'm shocked 

[woodford 3,732]

I’m trying to stay as rational as I possibly can but I just can’t help but think that Auburn will do great things in 2021. God, I hope we beat Georgia. 

[McLoofus 35,182]

7 minutes ago, augolf1716 said:

I'm shocked 

Sorry to wake you up from your 3rd nap of the morning with this bombshell.

[augolf1716 21,969]

13 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

Sorry to wake you up from your 3rd nap of the morning with this bombshell.

Oh hell the dog gets me up at 5 AM only had one nap since then

[auburnphan 6,050]

1 hour ago, McLoofus said:

I actually had a similar, but probably less extreme experience. Can't blame it on my dad, though. It was just me the coaches didn't like, lol. 

It was my lack of talent that the coaches didn't like the most and then me, lol.

[gravejd 3,304]

56 minutes ago, woodford said:

I’m trying to stay as rational as I possibly can but I just can’t help but think that Auburn will do great things in 2021. God, I hope we beat Georgia. 

2021 may be rushing it but i am also very fired up about the future. 

And in particular Mr Eason here. I hope he enjoys coaching at the college level. With the videos i have seen of him and the reports from players who he coached in the NFL it is hard to imagine his style not translating to the college game. He has to be able to connect with the parents as well as the players and i think he'll have to do a bit more....whats the right word..... "delicate" coaching with the 18 year olds he'll be coaching versus the grown men he is used to. But i sure love his energy and if he can nail down the nuances of coaching college kids versus pros i think he will be great. 

[Tiger Refuge 6,781]

1 hour ago, augolf1716 said:

Oh hell the dog gets me up at 5 AM only had one nap since then

I swear, mine can read a clock.

[Hank2020 3,355]

1 hour ago, Tiger Refuge said:

I swear, mine can read a clock.

Mine too, but wakes up the wife, so I’m good lol.

[augolf1716 21,969]

6 minutes ago, Hank2020 said:

but wakes up the wife, so I’m good lol.

Damn.................................

[augolf1716 21,969]

1 hour ago, Tiger Refuge said:

I swear, mine can read a clock.

Same here

[McLoofus 35,182]

2 hours ago, gravejd said:

2021 may be rushing it but i am also very fired up about the future. 

And in particular Mr Eason here. I hope he enjoys coaching at the college level. With the videos i have seen of him and the reports from players who he coached in the NFL it is hard to imagine his style not translating to the college game. He has to be able to connect with the parents as well as the players and i think he'll have to do a bit more....whats the right word..... "delicate" coaching with the 18 year olds he'll be coaching versus the grown men he is used to. But i sure love his energy and if he can nail down the nuances of coaching college kids versus pros i think he will be great. 

All good points. From everything I've read he's just one of those natural people people, so I like his chances.