Auburn Football: Will Muschamp, New Auburn Defense 101

Jan 1, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA;Auburn Tigers defensive linemen Montravius Adams (1) chases down the ball carrier in the second half against the Wisconsin Badgers in the 2015 Outback Bowl at Raymond James Stadium. The Badgers defeated the Tigers 34-31 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

Philosophical Pillar No. 1: Stop the Run

First and foremost, Will Muschamp wants to make his opponent one-dimensional. As a defense, if you can limit your opponent’s weapons by taking something away, it’s much easier to win.

For Muschamp that starts by stopping the run.

“In our league and our division, you better win the line of scrimmage or you will not have a chance,” Muschamp said in his introductory press conference in December. “In terms of that, you must be able to stop the run with most of the teams we are going to face and stay away from explosive plays. When they are getting chunks of yardage down the field, it is hard to defend and change the vertical field position in the game.”

In years past, some of Muschamp’s specific team goals have including things like “hold opponents to 3.3 yards per rush” and “no 15-yard runs” among others. The new Auburn defense is sure to have some similar guidelines.

Simply, Muschamp will take his chances by allowing the vast majority of college quarterbacks to beat him through the air since very few QBs have elite arm strength and pinpoint accuracy.

Next: Pillar No. 2: Create Favorable Matchups