Defensive line to be more dominate

[aubiefifty 16,760]

Auburn Football

Where Auburn's defensive line aims to improve to be 'more dominant' in 2018

Updated Mar 25, 7:01 AM; Posted Mar 25, 7:00 AM

Watch coach Rodney Garner and the Auburn defensive line run drills on Day 6 of spring practice

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By James Crepea

jcrepea@al.com

Auburn's defensive line is looking to pick up where it left off.

The front four has been the strength of Auburn's defense each of the last two years and starting defensive tackle Derrick Brown believes the group, which helped the defense dominate Saturday's scrimmage, can be "more dominant" than last season.

"I think (there's) more want-to," Brown said, "Every single day (defensive line coach Rodney Garner) just tells us when we come in the room to try to pick a certain area and try to improve on it. When you come out to practice, yeah he's yelling and fussing, but at the end of the day, you've got to chose to basically be a man about things and not take it to heart and take it as corrective criticism."

Even for a group that helped Auburn rank in the top 25 in nearly every major defensive statistic, there are areas to improve.

"We've got to be more productive, we need to make more plays," Garner said. "We can truly be a dominant force. From a fundamental standpoint there are a lot of areas to improve in."

Brown and fellow returning starters Dontavius Russell and Marlon Davidson all had career seasons last year. They're each looking to build off that this spring to be more menacing in the fall.

"We have a little competition at the end of the year who's going to have the most tackles and sacks," Davidson said. "It'll be a good battle."

Effort, physicality and tackling are the emphasis for the defensive line as a whole this spring and there was plenty of it on display during Saturday's scrimmage, according to the players and Gus Malzahn.

"Usually, the first scrimmage, whether it's spring or fall, the defense is usually a little ahead," Malzahn said. "The great thing about our defense right now is we have a lot of veterans that have played. We've got a lot of guys that I consider to be really good football players."

Russell, who had a career-highs in tackles (46), tackles for loss (6.5) and sacks (three) last season, has always been an effective run stopper inside. The redshirt-senior is trying to improve on his pass rush and hand placement this offseason,

"I think I played similar every year I've been here but I think I've been improving on my pass rush," Russell said. "I've been working a little more hand stuff and coach (Garner) has been providing us with situations where you can work on those things. With hand placement I feel like I've gotten a lot better. I think there's a lot of room for improvement."

Russell has been a leading personality of the group for some time and Brown is looking to take on a bigger role as a junior.

"I feel like my game last year took a step up from my freshman year but I'm still not where I want to be," said Brown, who had 56 tackles with nine for loss and 3.5 sacks last season. "Going back and kind of just watching the film after the season, yeah I had some good games playing but there were a lot of little mistakes and things that just kind of eat at me personally that I want to improve. ...

"(I'm) definitely trying to be a leader among my teammates. Definitely trying to hone in and pay attention more to every little detail going into the fall."

Davidson is focusing on his pad level and hand placement this offseason.

After recording 43 tackles with 6.5 for loss and 3.5 sacks last season, Davidson is going to be asked to provide more off the edge as Auburn tries to replace the output of Jeff Holland. Davidson said having Brown and Russell providing pressure inside helps free him up.

"I set the edge and let them bounce everything to me; I make plays because of them," Davidson said. "If I set the edge and then everything comes back to them too. We help each other. Playing with those guys is a lot of fun. It gets boring sometimes but it's fun."

Auburn confident T.D. Moultry can be its next top pass rusher

T.D. Moultry spent the first four spring practices with the first-team defensive line and will likely be the successor to Jeff Holland as Auburn's starting Buck end

Brown, Russell and Davidosn draw most of the focus and attention from a defensive line that also returns Andrew Williams and Tyrone Truesdell at tackle, Nick Coe at end and T.D. Moultry and Markaviest Bryant and Buck.

Talent and experienced depth has been what has set the group apart as it's steadily improved the past two years and could do so again.

"We're more experienced now with me, Dontavius, Andrew, Derrick and Nick Coe," Davidson said. "We all got years under our belt. Now we all know how it'll go down in a game, how everything is going to go and everything comes easy to us now because we've already been through it.

"It's just like another day."

James Crepea is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @JamesCrepea.

Sports

[McLoofus 35,182]

It's so rare to have this level of confidence in a position group for a 3rd straight year. I have no problem telling any rival team that our DL is better than theirs. That's fun. 

[WFE12 9,191]

2 hours ago, McLoofus said:

It's so rare to have this level of confidence in a position group for a 3rd straight year. I have no problem telling any rival team that our DL is better than theirs. That's fun. 

Yes I love it. Some people actually think Coe can leave for the draft after this upcoming season....He really is that good and has a ton of potential. Great to have a backup for Marlon like that and I expect Marlon to put up monster numbers since he's 100% again. Also the way that the players have talked about TD.....SHEESH! I don't care I'll say it...Washington should be very afraid.

[McLoofus 35,182]

Just now, WFE12 said:

Yes I love it. Some people actually think Coe can leave for the draft after this upcoming season....He really is that good and has a ton of potential. Great to have a backup for Marlon like that and I expect Marlon to put up monster numbers since he's 100% again. Also the way that the players have talked about TD.....SHEESH! I don't care I'll say it...Washington should be very afraid.

No doubt. 3-4 NFL guys starting, with at least a couple early rounders... and then the guys behind them... goodness. 

In most seasons we'd be looking at Coe and Russell like we looked at Lawson and Adams.

[toddc 13,194]

I’ve also heard the Big Cat tore it up at the scrimmage Saturday!

[AlaskanFAN 1,665]

I love the drive to be better than last year. 

[WFE12 9,191]

On 3/26/2018 at 1:12 PM, McLoofus said:

No doubt. 3-4 NFL guys starting, with at least a couple early rounders... and then the guys behind them... goodness. 

In most seasons we'd be looking at Coe and Russell like we looked at Lawson and Adams.

Just have to be more consistent and like they've said finish better. Had really nice streaks of nasty d-line play in certain games and not getting any pressure in other games.

[bigbird 60,498]

8 hours ago, WFE12 said:

not getting any pressure in other games.

Not always, but I believe that was a lot about game planning.

[McLoofus 35,182]

8 hours ago, WFE12 said:

Juat have to be more consistent and like they've said finish better. Had really nice streaks of nasty d-line play in certain games and not getting any pressure in other games.

 

13 minutes ago, bigbird said:

Not always, but I believe that was a lot about game planning.

Without going back and looking, I'd guess that it mostly occurred against athletic QBs. 

Folks whined big time about a perceived lack of pressure against Louisville a couple years ago. We lived in their backfield all night. But Carl Lawson can't be blamed for not tackling Lamar Jackson. Nobody can tackle Lamar Jackson. You gotta keep those guys contained and try to disrupt their passing lanes. 

[AUIH1 1,515]

The DL was hardly dominate in the SECCG nor the bowl game.  I hope they improve.

wde