Rocker coming home

Sources are reporting that Tracy Rocker, former Auburn All-American and Outland Trophy winner as well as Lombardi Award winner, has accepted a job as Auburn's defensive line coach.

Another great hire for Gene Chizik.

If Rocker can teach even close to as well as he could play, Auburn's recent tradition of standout defensive lines should continue.

Rocker comes to Auburn from Ole Miss, where he coached the defensive line, and Arkansas before that. He played defensive tackle for Auburn.

I expect things to shape up something like this on defense: Rocker will coach the interior defensive linemen, James Willis will handle the defensive ends/hybrid linebackers, Ted Roof will coach the linebacking corp as a whole and Gene Chizik will coach the defensive backs. Of course, this very well may not be the case, but it could happen.

Note: there is also a rumor that Chizik is interested in John Thompson, presumably to coach the defensive backs. He has been the defensive coordinator everywhere from Southern Miss to Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, LSU, Ole Miss, Lousianna Tech and South Carolina. He also was the HC at East Carolina for 2 years, where he amassed a 3-20 record. I believe he is currently the AD at Central Arkansas, his alma mater.

It is still very unclear how much of a roll Chizik will play in the defense. But then again, how clear was Tommy Tuberville's roll in his great defenses? The answer is not very.

I'd be willing to bet that Chizik will give Roof full reigns of the defense, much like Tuberville did for him. That's one thing he was probably able to learn from his experience at Auburn and ISU.