Amid the coaching change from Hugh Freeze to Alex Golesh, the Auburn Tigers football team lost several key members of the defense to the transfer portal despite retaining defensive coordinator DJ Durkin and defensive line coach Vontrell King-Williams.
On the upside, many of the young players with high ceilings remained with the team through the coaching change, and senior Dallas Walker IV was cleared to return for another year, which provides a level of continuity for the Tigers.
"We're a very talented group, but very unproven," VKW said of his interior line group, per Auburn Undercover. "A lot of young guys that are going to be really, really good -- which is different than what we were really in the past two seasons."
Still, King-Williams and the staff were forced to turn to the transfer portal for another veteran presence on the DL, which they found in former Arkansas State defensive lineman Cody Sigler. Prior to his stint with the Red Wolves, Sigler played at West Alabama. His breakout season came in 2025, when he recorded 35 tackles and 5 sacks for Arkansas State.
Alongside Walker, Sigler will be an important leader for a relatively young group of defensive linemen.
"He's a dog, man," King-Williams said of Sigler. "The competition stuff, there's no excuse. He's taking double reps, taking someone else's reps, not making any excuses about it, and still winning. He's a dog. He's going to bring a competitiveness to our room that I think is going to be big, and what's needed. Cody is going to be a big part of what we accomplish this year."
The Tigers continue to gear up for the start of spring practice, which begins on March 17.