Auburn's revamped defense focused on stopping the run, slanting more often up front
AUBURN — With the arrival of new Auburn football defensive coordinator Ron Roberts, defensive tackle Marcus Harris said the Tigers’ defensive line will be implementing new techniques and strategies in order to stop the run and pressure the quarterback.
What Harris said: “We have more plays, say we slant one way and then slant another way. We have more slanted plays. That’s the difference from last year. Last year, we were playing on the offensive line and stand on them. This year, we have more freedom to move around and get to the quarterback.”
- Auburn finished 11th in the SEC in rushing defense in 2022, giving up over 172 yards per game. The Tigers also finished 12th in tackles for loss (62) and ninth in sacks (26).
- “There’s more run focus,” Harris said. “That’s good because if you can’t stop the run in the SEC, they’ll run it all game. That’s the one thing we had to get better as a defense. Last year, there were a couple of games, one in particular was Penn State, we weren’t happy with that outcome. We have to get better as a run defense. He’s bringing that mentality — I can’t wait for that to turn up.”
- Auburn allowed 245 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns to Penn State inside Jordan-Hare Stadium last fall.
- Both Roberts and defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett have said everything starts with stopping the run, with Garrett saying in the spring, “if you don’t stop the run, you aren’t playing.”
- “Basically, everybody locked in and communicating,” Harris said of how Auburn will improve and stop the run. “Everybody has a gap, so you know whose gap that is. It’s about everybody being in their gap. A lot of times, say I’ll be in the B gap and I see the ball go into the A gap, I’ll try and go to the A gap. I have to trust my teammate to make that play and not hop out of the A gap. That’s another thing, building trust and knowing my teammate. That’s one thing we’re getting better at this season.”
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Zooming in on Harris’ responsibilities: Harris will play the “4i,” “3” technique, and “2i” positions along the Auburn defensive line.
- “We move more with Coach Roberts, that’s another thing I have to learn. I have to get better at movement inside, getting up the field more.”
Jayson Jones and Justin Rogers: “Those two guys are strong and big humans.”
- Jones and Rogers combined are 684 pounds, with Rogers weighing 346 pounds and Jones weighing 338 pounds. Rogers is 6-foot-3 and Jones is 6-foot-6.
- “Having those two guys in to stop the run that’s a big addition,” Harris said. “We’re going to need those two guys in at the same time sometimes. I can’t wait to see how that turns out in a game. I’ve seen it in practice and it looked pretty good.”
- (Rogers) is a strong, he’s physically strong. He’s gifted. He can move, too. A big guy like that, people don’t think he can move. He adds another dimensions to this defense. He’s a big, physical guy who can stop the run. That’s an aspect we needed in this defense.
