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Malzahn calls Muschamp the greatest defensive mind in football

The high-powered Auburn “Gus Bus” has a new driver.

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Fired by Florida, Muschamp is regarded as one of the best defensive minds in the country, with the energy and wits to stand toe-to-toe with his new practice field peer, Tigers’ play-caller and head coach Gus Malzahn.

The Tigers’ defense struggled last season. It’s something Tasha instilled in him since she entered his life as a two-year-old. The SEC isn’t shy about scheduling key conference games early, and Auburn plays in Baton Rouge on September 19.

Auburn’s Jeremy Johnson speaks to the media during the NCAA college football Southeastern Conference Media Days, Monday, July 13, 2015, in Hoover, Ala. The spotlight of starting every week in the SEC promises to be less forgiving, especially with only four offensive starters returning. “As you can imagine”, Sankey said, “this is a bit of a moment for me”.

He also announced that each team will host a prostate cancer awareness game during the month of September in honor of Slive, who has been battling the disease off and on for over a decade. This is a great opportunity and I appreciate the things that I’m doing right now.

“I think he’s got a chance to be”, Malzahn said.

“We’re different, but I learned a lot from Mike”, Sankey said. We’re still going to run the ball. “If it calls for us to throw, we’ll throw”. And in the only hint of anything beyond confidence Monday, Johnson deflected the idea.

We saw just what Johnson could do in the 2014 opener against Arkansas, but now in his first full season as a starter, he’s ready to be the guy for the Tigers. The low point came when Auburn surrendered 55 points to in-state rival the Alabama Crimson Tide in last season’s Iron Bowl. Several have tabbed Auburn as a top five team and a College Football Playoff participant despite Johnson stepping in with little experience.

How much does having Carl Lawson back help? He said it won’t change the Tigers’ offensive philosophy.

“We did not ask him to run the last couple of years because Nick Marshall was so effective, but he will do both”.

“We had trouble putting pressure on the quarterback (in 2014)”, Malzahn said. Jeremy has the ability.

“But he’s a better runner than people think”.

Auburn football players warm up prior to the first practice of fall camp.

“One thing you don’t want to do is make him raging”, Jones said. He has the arm for it.

Noteworthy: Mason is taking over defensive coordinator responsibilities in 2015 after Vanderbilt allowed an average 402.1 yards per game past year. He started and put up unbelievable numbers at the half.

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Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher told Corey Clark of the Tallahassee Democrat that James was one of the best safety prospects he’s ever seen. “Louisville has got a great defense”, Auburn quarterback Jeremy Johnson said. “That was from Nick”. This season will come down to winning tough games at the end and how we handle adversity. “I knew my time was coming”. The team has to hear your voice at times. They’re two more examples that prove quarterbacks excel quickly under Malzahn. He went 28 of 37 previous year for 436 yards and three touchdowns in mostly back-up action. While no one-on-one drills took place inside the Hyatt Regancy Birmingham, we finally got back to talking football with the guys who play and coach it.

Gus Malzahn SEC west is toughest division in college football