Auburn's defense: a roller coaster ride

Well, as many of you likely already know, Auburn's defense has seen its ups and downs this year. From holding Mississippi State scoreless, to giving up ridiculous numbers to Arkansas and West Virginia. Here's my take on that.

First of all, the defense was stellar when the year began. This is likely because the offense was doing its part. This can be taken in several ways. No. 1, when the offense moves the ball, the defense doesn't have to stay on the field as long. This means the players are fresher. When the players are fresh they play faster and smarter, thus limiting mistakes. No. 2, when the offense puts points on the board, it can motivate the defense to play better simply because it gives them a reason to go out and bust their asses. When the defense gives everything they have and still lose the game because the offense can't score, it has to be disheartening. Once the offense fell apart, so did the defense for exactly the aforementioned reasons, not to mention the injuries.

Secondly, the defense is built for speed. This is a plus and a minus. It's great to be fast and get to the ball. but if you can't tackle it doesn't matter how fast you are. That said, I think Paul Rhodes has some work to do. Auburn needs to continue to recruit fast players (I think speed is crucial in the SEC), but we also need to get some better tacklers. Not every position needs killer speed. Some of them need killer instincts and tackling ability. I think that's the sole reason Auburn lost to West Virginia - missed tackles, which therefore made the team look slow. 

That said, If Jerraud Powers and Sen'derrick Marks decide to stay for their senior seasons, I think Auburn will have one of the top defenses in the SEC, if not the country, next year.

Coming Soon: an assessment of Auburn's returning starters/players - as per the thoughts of Jonathan, the only person who has commented on this blog.