Auburn defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett: 'If I can find 8 guys to play, we're cooking'
AUBURN – At Auburn, a heavy defensive line rotation is nothing new. To be successful in the SEC, a deep defensive line group is a basic requirement.
New Auburn defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett gets it. In fact, he played nearly ten guys on his defensive line in every game in 2022 at Liberty. It was a defensive line group that paved the way as the nation’s leader in tackles for loss and top five in sacks.
The Tigers have a diverse defensive line group, but it is a group with little SEC experience.
What is the plan for Auburn’s defensive line group in 2023 under Garrett?
“Man, we’re in the SEC, and the one thing I learned coaching in the NFL, the NFL is a long season and you have to have depth,” Garrett said. “The next step down from the NFL is the SEC. Just the guys that they’re going to play in and out every week, they’re going to banged up, you never know when you’ll need a guy, so you have to develop as many guys as you possibly can and rotate them early and often.”
Looking for a reason to use each guy
Garrett believes that each player in his defensive line group will change of the course of the year. A constant rotation can help ease the wear and tear of a grueling SEC schedule.
Not only that, it can help inexperienced players become experienced players late in the season.
“I call it mileage,” Garrett said. “Those plays and that mileage builds up throughout the year. When you get to game 7, 8, or 9, you don’t have the same guy you had in game one because they’ve taken on so many reps. My belief is to rotate them early and often and to have those guys playing at the end of the year. Now, he’s like another starter coming off the bench because I rolled him out there earlier. I believe in getting those guys in as many as we can as fresh as we can and just keep attacking those offensive lineman the whole game.”
Per the usual, Garrett wants competition in his room. He wants no one to be safe when arriving at practice.
He wants to have a rotation of as many possible players as possible, even when only using three players at a time in a three-man-front.
“I want my room to be competitive for a reason,” Garrett said. “I want my guys to walk in and see that there’s a guy beside them or next to them that can take their spot any given day–I want it like that. At the same time, I want them to know, “Guys, I’m going to play a bunch of y’all. I’m looking for a reason to play you, I’m not looking for a reason not to play you, I’m looking for a reason to play you.’ They know, they saw my track record from last year. I rotate a bunch of guys, play 8 or 9 guys a game. I believe in that.”
What is the number of players Garrett believes need to step up in order for Auburn’s defensive line to be successful?
“For those three positions if I can find 8 guys that can play, we’re cooking.”
