Doesn't sound like it. I like the tone of this piece from Joel Erickson, especially at the last where they acknowledge they've recruited top rated players. They just have to unlock that potential. BTW, I saw an article too on Jonathon Jones saying they definitely have something to build around in the secondary. I didn't realize the guy had 6 interceptions and 10 pass break ups. Pretty skrong.
Will Muschamp spent his first week back at Auburn roaming the sidelines at Outback Bowl practices, trying to get a read on the defense he's inheriting from Ellis Johnson.
Muschamp's plan is to build his defense around his talent.
Before he can start constructing his defensive scheme, Muschamp has to figure out if the Tigers have the personnel to live up to the standards he's set at LSU, Auburn, Texas and Florida, where he's produced top 10 defenses in 10 of his 12 seasons.
"We've been pretty good where we've been, but we've also had a bunch of good players, and that's the bottom line," Muschamp said. "That's what it comes down to, players.
Auburn's struggles on the defensive side of the ball the past six seasons have prompted certain segments of the fan base to question the Auburn's recruiting capabilities on the defensive side of the ball.
In that time frame, the Tigers haven't ranked higher than 60th nationally in total defense (2010) or 47th in scoring defense (2013).
An examination of Auburn's past four recruiting classes -- the seasons that primarily made up the Tigers' 2014 defense -- reveals that Muschamp's biggest task may be more directly tied to lack of development than an inability to recruit.
"We're trying to recruit the best players out there," Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn said. "I'm going to evaluate everything. I think it will be really good for him to sit back and watch our guys perform so he can evaluate and assess."
Breaking down the average 247Sports' ranking of recruiting classes over the past four years reveals that the Tigers' average national ranking (8.75) falls into fifth place in the SEC, trailing Alabama (1), Florida (7), LSU (7.5) and Georgia (8.25).
All four of those teams ranked in the top five in the SEC in total defense this season; Auburn finished ninth.
"I know one thing, they've recruited a bunch of good players here," Muschamp, who put together those Florida classes, said. "There's a bunch of guys that we were recruiting."
According to the 247Sports' Composite rankings, which averages the rankings by the main recruiting sites, Auburn should be in good shape on the defensive side of the ball. Of the 42 defensive players on scholarship in 2014, the Tigers have three 5-stars, 19 4-stars and 20 3-star recruits.
Auburn's defensive line, which failed to produce a player with more than 3.5 sacks this season, has the highest concentration of highly-rated players. Former 5-star prospects Montravius Adams and defensive end Carl Lawson (who missed the season due to injury) lead a group that also includes nine more 4-stars among the 16 defensive linemen on scholarship.
By contrast, the defensive backs had eight 4-stars out of 16 players, and the linebackers had one 5-star and two 4-stars out of 10 players.
Only one of those defenders, former 3-star cornerback Jonathan Jones, earned All-SEC mention this season.
"I think the front seven is very strong," Muschamp said. "Just looking at some of the guys up front, I recruited a bunch of them. I'm looking forward to coaching some of them that turned me down."
Muschamp's task, then, is to unlike the potential so many saw in Auburn's defenders when they were being recruited out of high school.
"I would say this, we've got some good players," Malzahn said. "Will will have the chance to evaluate them, assess them, and he'll put the pieces to the puzzle that will help create his defense."
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