While Auburn sputtered to a 6-7 record in 2023, looking deeper, you see a defense that flashed potential but ultimately faded with the money on the table. In losing three games by seven of fewer points, the Auburn defense squandered a chance to immediately change the culture in and around the program.
Auburn finished ninth in the SEC in total defense, a number not good enough for a program that historically prides itself on hard-nosed football.
Yet, the unit collectively struggled in key moments. If you start by stopping the opponent’s rushing attack, a clearer explanation arises. The Tigers held Georgia and Arkansas to 107 and 120 rushing yards respectively. Auburn split those contests, narrowly losing to Georgia while blowing out the Razorbacks.
Taking those two standout performances, you see teams running the ball with impunity. For example, in their 28-21 loss to Ole Miss, the Rebels ran the ball an astonishing fifty-six times for 223 yards. The number of yards belies the excessive amount of carries and the Tigers’ inability to stop the Rebels’ offense.
Everyone in Jordan-Hare expected run, no one on the field could stop it. Under those circumstances would deploying the BUCK as a down lineman help? In all honesty, something needs to happen.
The hallmark of any successful defense resides with the amount of discipline that permeates the unit. Unfortunately, Auburn lacked consistent defensive discipline. The Auburn defense committed 6.62 penalties-penalties-per game. That number put them 109th in the country. Teams capitalized on those drive-extending infractions, making the Tigers routinely pay for a lack of composure.
For instance, during their four-game losing streak, Auburn committed forty-three penalties for 246 yards. In two of those losses, the Tigers lost by seven points twice. Not all of those were defensive penalties, but imagine if the defense forced a three-and-out just twice more in each game, instead of time and yardage going the way of the opponent.