Sources: Former All-SEC player set to return as Auburn assistant
As Auburn’s staff turnover continues, Bryan Harsin has his new defensive line coach. And it’s a name Tigers fans might remember.
The Tigers are set to hire Jimmy Brumbaugh for the role, sources told On3’s Matt Zenitz. He’ll replace Nick Eason, who left to become the defensive tackles coach at Clemson — his alma mater.
Brumbaugh played at Auburn from 1995-2000 and earned All-SEC honors in 1996 and 1997. During his career with the Tigers, he totaled 291 tackles, including 22 tackles for loss, and 15 sacks.
Brumbaugh went undrafted during the 2000 NFL Draft process but played three years in the XFL and Arena Football League until 2003. He dove into coaching in 2004 as a student assistant at Jacksonville State. From there, he spent a year at Chattanooga before heading to LSU, where he was an assistant strength and conditioning coach when the Tigers won the 2007 national championship.
From 2008-12, Brumbaugh worked at Louisiana Tech, Syracuse and East Mississippi State before getting hired at Kentucky. He worked as the Wildcats’ defensive line coach from 2013-16 and headed to Maryland as co-defensive coordinator from 2017-18.
More recently, Brumbaugh worked at Colorado as defensive line coach in 2019 and Tennessee’s co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach in 2020.
Auburn went 6-7 in Harsin’s first season at the helm and fell to Houston in the Birmingham Bowl on Dec. 28. Defensive line coach isn’t the only position the Tigers had to fill on staff, though. They’re also hiring a new defensive coordinator.
Derek Mason set to leave, Auburn has new defensive coordinator
After just one season, Auburn defensive coordinator Derek Mason is leaving the Tigers’ program. On3’s Matt Zenitz reported the news, adding that linebackers coach and assistant head coach Jeff Schmedding will be promoted to fill Mason’s role.
This season was Mason’s first with Auburn. The Tigers played well defensively, ranking 27th in the FBS in scoring defense, also coming in at 29th against the run.
Prior to joining Auburn’s staff, Mason served as Vanderbilt’s head coach from 2014-2020. He has also served on multiple other staffs, including, the Minnesota Vikings and Stanford. Mason coached defensive backs with the Vikings from 2007-2009, and held the same role with Stanford in 2010. In 2011, he served as Stanford’s assistant head coach, co-defensive coordinator while coaching the secondary. He was Stanford’s full-time defensive coordinator from 2012-2013.
Schmedding also just wrapped up his first year at Auburn after a stint with Boise State. He also has extensive experience in the FCS, working at Eastern Washington.