What are Auburn's defensive coaches saying after two weeks of camp?

The Tigers looked like they were in a strong spot on defense in the scrimmage last Saturday. But what do their coaches think about it?

(All Photos by Austin Perryman/Auburn Tigers)

Auburn took a break from the practice field Wednesday, effectively bringing an end to the second full week of fall camp with an off day.

Players and coaches met to watch film and break down what they had learned so far in preseason practices. They also had some special visitors to the Football Performance Center — and ones who were last spotted at an Auburn fall camp several years ago:

The Tigers will return to the field Thursday morning and Friday morning for practices, followed by a Saturday evening session. That will be a natural spot to switch into more of an extended game week mode, as Auburn will be two weeks away from the opener against Alabama A&M — and two days from the start of classes at the university.

Like with the offensive coaches last week, all five of Auburn’s defensive assistant coaches spent part of the off day talking with media members for extended interviews sessions.

What are Auburn's offensive coaches saying after one week of camp?

Here are the five most interesting notes we learned from each of them, starting with the new man in charge of a defense that has gotten rave reviews in camp.

Defensive Coordinator/LB Coach D.J. Durkin

• Including a strong scrimmage last Saturday, Auburn’s defense has been sharp throughout fall camp. The number of mistakes made by the first- and second-string defenses has gone “really down,” per Durkin, and he’s pleased with how well his players have grasped his scheme. While there are always areas to clean up, it sounds like Auburn’s defense is in a great spot at this point in the preseason.

• How many guys will Auburn play on defense this fall? Durkin’s personal philosophy is simple: However many that can go without there being a drop-off in quality on the field. “You play so many teams that are spread and no-huddle and it’s moving, moving. You’ve got to have options where you can have fresh bodies on the field. We’re going to ask these guys to turn and run to the ball every snap. When you’re doing that over and over again, that’s hard to do for 65-70 plays a game, when there is no huddle.” Expect a lot of rotation across the board.