Josh Aldridge analyzes Auburn linebacker room

As fall camp cruises into the second half, the time for adjustments is quickly dwindling and the pressure is ramping up. The Auburn linebacker room, though, is making quality progress.

Linebackers coach Josh Aldridge was pleased with the group when he met with the media last week.

“So far I think we’re getting a lot better in the linebacker room just in terms of picking things up in this defense,” he said. “Especially, all defenses, but in this defense especially, the linebacker, there’s a lot on his plate from the knowledge of the front, the coverages, all those things.”

Auburn’s defense was not among the better groups in the country last year. The Tigers finished ranked 77th in total defense and 97th in scoring defense.

Worse, the unit ranked 96th against the run, which meant that the Tigers couldn’t very well get back into games once they fell behind. Opponents would just grind it out on the ground.

The linebackers were a big part of that failure.

But this is a completely new coaching staff and there are some new faces in the Auburn linebacker room this fall. Optimism is higher.

“What I wanted to see is things carry over from the spring to the summer and slowly but surely we’re not making the same mistakes, that way we can make new mistakes and fix those, and that’s what I’m seeing,” Aldridge said.

Auburn’s schedule should afford the group some time to settle in, as the first three weeks include a home game against UMass, a road trip to California, then a home date with Samford.

After that the schedule gets brutal in a hurry, so the Tigers need to be firing on all cylinders by Week 4.

But the Auburn linebacker room already looks a little different than it did a year ago.

“I think we’ve got quality depth,” Aldridge said. “I think we’ve got a lot of guys competing, which is good. I don’t think anybody’s comfortable with their spot, which is how I want it right now.”