What will the new DC have to work with?

[Tigermike 3,078]

This is not a depth chart, merely names of returning defensive players. Their place on the depth chart will be determined during winter workouts, spring training & August. Needless to say, the cupboard is not bare.

SDE - Groves/Gunn/Balkom

NG - Jackson/Thompson/Brown

DT - Dickens/Sims/Doolittle

WDE - McClover/Browder/Burnam

WLB - A.Williams/Blackmon/M.Johnson

MLB - T.Williams/Collier/Harden

SLB - Sears/Herring/Dede

RCB - Irons/Hobbs/Davis

LCB - Pitts/Wilhite/Campbell

SS - Ferguson/Gandy

FS - Bell/Brock/Trahan

Looks like a pretty good group to me!

[mcgufcm 4,107]

best linebackers in the sec. best rush ends in the sec (that haven't proved they can play the run). great run stuffing noseguards.

a few things: ferguson is a corner, hobbs has been moved back to safety (he played some free safety in the sugar bowl), i doubt groves plays strong side b/c he's not a big guy... if i were a betting man i'd switch him and mcclover or start gunn at weak.

[subterranean_jack 112]

Hopefully the new DC will take the DBs under his wing and the 2005 defense will be nearly as good as last years. The talent/depth is obviously there among the front 7 and the back 4 just need more experience and coaching.

[WarTim 3,457]

Whomever he hires, AU will have the BEST DEFENSE in the SEC.

No denying the FACTS.

[chinook 0]

some bad a$$ mo fo's. sorry it was the first thing that popped in my head.

[rolltoomer 0]

I don't see Zach Gilbert listed. I don't know much about him, but he looked good a couple of times when he was in, especially for a RSFr.

[auferg 0]

Is Herring trying to bulk up and move to linebacker or was that just a educated guess?

[The Prowler 1]

Is Herring trying to bulk up and move to linebacker or was that just a educated guess?

139825[/snapback]

He'll see some time at the LB position this coming Spring, depending on how he plays and takes to the Position change, and how well Tony Bell has come along.....But yea I've heard the same things........The Coaches are just trying to put him in a position where they think he can help the team.....Now, we all know that Will can help us with the Run it's just that his Pass defense was Lacking a little this year.....not to terribly much though, because if he was Horribly bad against the pass then Coach Chiz would've pulled him in the Passing situations......We'll see.........Is it College Football season again?............Dang it!!!!!!! Hey when's Fan Day?

[API50 0]

Bottom Line: Auburn's defense this year will be better than last year. One major reason is that CTT will bring in a DC with Pro experience that knows the ins and outs of secondary play. Not to cast dispursions, because he did a great job as DC, but if Chizik has a weakness it is coaching the secondary. If the ball bounces right as it did most of the games this past year, we should be able to contend for the SEC AGAIN.

[WarTim 3,457]

As has already been stated, it is more about "Jimmys & Joes" than "xs & os" at AUBURN.

We have a good stockpile of talent. We WILL get a GOOD Defensive Coach.

WAR EAGLE...O N E at a time.

[Longtrainn 2]

I don't know, I can't buy that next year's D will be better than this year's. Maybe it just hasn't sunk in with y'all yet, but this may have been the best defense we've ever had. You can put it right up there with '88 and '57. This kind of thing doesn't happen very often. We'll be good, no doubt, but I can't see how there wouldn't be at least some drop-off.

[bammanmr 0]

We'll be good, no doubt, but I can't see how there wouldn't be at least some drop-off.

139892[/snapback]

That's what we thought after losing Thomas, Dansby, Torbor, and 4-year starter McNeil.....