The game has changed.
Will Muschamp's defense may be defined as a 4-3 scheme on paper, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's looking for three true linebackers. That could be good news for Auburn this spring as it transitions from a 4-2-5 scheme under Ellis Johnson, who for two years used a hybrid linebacker for pass coverage.
"Right now in our scheme we're playing over 70 and close to 80 percent the last two, maybe three years, of Nickel and Dime," Auburn's first-year defensive coordinator said. "This is where the game has gone. Everybody talks about numbers of linebackers on scholarship, at the end of the day you're primarily playing with two inside 'backers. Then you're playing with five and six DBs."
The outside linebacker in Muschamp's scheme actually does not share the same meeting room as the Mike and Will linebackers. "They have to cover down a whole lot and they have to do certain things out there -- they're hybrid guys," said Kris Frost, who is working at Will linebacker.
The outside linebackers' responsibilities carry some coverage responsibilities -- "kind of like a safety," Frost said. -- but they also work in the box against the run.
Derrick Moncrief, a former safety, and JaViere Mitchell, who is a tad smaller, are working on the outside. The spot is substituted in Nickel looks.
Muschamp identified four players who "have done a nice job" at linebacker: Frost, Cassanova McKinzy, Justin Garrett and Tre' Williams.
McKinzy and Garrett are primarily working at Mike linebacker, and Frost and Williams are working at Will, which usually lines up on the side Muschamp identifies as the strength of the opposing offense. Several players, however, are cross-training at Mike and Will.
Muschamp's goal is to identify eight players who can contribute at Mike and Will "because you need as many pass rushers as you can find," he said. He identified four players following the first week of spring drills.
"We've been learning a lot of concepts with coach Muschamp and learning concepts of defenses as a whole and going more into understanding defense and how to play defense," said Frost, who is also working at Dime. "It's really been helping us a whole lot. It'll make us able to play those multiple positions."
Early look at Auburn's linebackers
Sam linebacker (substitutes out for Nickel)
•Derrick Moncrief
•JaViere Mitchell
Mike linebacker
•Cassanova McKinzy
•Justin Garrett
•JaViere Mitchell
Will linebacker
•Kris Frost
•Tre' Williams
•Justin Garrett