By Collin Mickle
Collin Mickle
AUBURN — Any way you slice it, Auburn’s defense was outstanding in last week’s season-opening win against Louisiana-Monroe.Collin Mickle
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Stumble It!The defense recorded its first shutout in almost two years, scored a touchdown on its very first play of 2008 and held ULM under 3.5 yards per snap. And the Tigers did all that while emptying their bench, playing second- and third-teamers throughout the second half.
Not bad.
So, after such a dominating performance, what can defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads and his players do for an encore?
Rhoads is hoping for more of the same. Only better.
“Every thing with every position, from a technique standpoint, needs to be refined,” he said.
If he sounds like a tough grader — well, he is. Rhoads knows that the defense will face tougher challenges than that posed by ULM — starting today against Southern Miss.
And as the schedule gets tougher, Rhoads expects the defense to do the same.
“The cliché goes, you improve the most from Game One to Game Two,” he said. “We’re conscientious about improving every week.
“If we improve every week, then the last game of the season we’re going to play our very best football, and that’s our goal.”
Today’s game will pose a challenge to the defense. But it’ll be a familiar kind of challenge.
Southern Miss head coach Larry Fedora has converted the Golden Eagles to his version of the spread offense — which racked up 633 yards and 51points in a season-opening win against Louisiana-Lafayette.
Auburn’s defenders are familiar with the spread, of course: They’ve spent the past eight months practicing against offensive coordinator Tony Franklin’s version.
The two schemes may not be twins, but there’s an undeniable family resemblance. Rhoads thinks that can only help the defense, especially when it comes to pacing.
Both Auburn and Southern Miss run no-huddle offenses, hoping to exhaust opposing defenses with an onslaught of offense, play after play.
“You have to get back and get set, and you don’t have time to rest,” head coach Tommy Tuberville said. “Mentally, you get gassed, as much as you do physically.”
Auburn is prepared — or at least Rhoads hopes so.
“Hopefully all this tempo practicing that we’ve done in spring ball and fall camp will be a benefit at this stage,” he said.
The spread offense doesn’t bother Auburn defensive end Antonio Coleman. Sounding a bit like Rhoads himself, Coleman says the Tigers aren’t focused on their opponent as much as on themselves.
“I’m not too much worried about what they’re doing,” he said. “I’m worried about how we’re preparing for the week.”
