Depth gives AU's defensive line a unique opportunity

Auburn’s depth along the defensive front will give several players a chance to shine this fall.

The trick, assistant coach Vontrell King-Williams said, is helping them learn the difference between maximizing and overplaying their opportunities.

The Tigers will enter their season opener with at least 10 players along the defensive front who have proven themselves worthy of at least 10 snaps per game. King-Williams will allocate more snaps for his proven veterans, of course, but remains completely invested in using his superior numbers to his advantage.

“The tough part (is) when we get into the season and it actually starts happening,” King-Williams said. “Continuing to have them buy into it and the more success we have in it … the more individual success and team success that we have, it’ll be a full-throttle thing.”

‘FALL BACK TO YOUR TRAINING’

King-Williams and fellow assistant Roc Bellantoni, who collaborate to coach Auburn’s defensive line, have an unusually large supply of newcomers in position to contribute. Transfers James Ash (tackle), Dallas Walker (tackle), Jay Hardy (tackle) and Chris Murray (end) have worked with the first- or second-team groups during the first two weeks of fall camp.

The same can be said of freshmen tackles Jourdin Crawford and Malik Autry along with freshman end Jared Smith.

Now it’s a matter of the reserves making the most of their time on the field. King-Williams said he’s seen some situations this month where newcomers have overstepped their bounds in an effort to make a good impression.

“What happens is they start doing other things that’s not their job,” he said. “So, we tell them, ‘Listen, do your job and the plays you need to make are gonna come to you.’ So that’s the biggest thing. Fall back to your training. You ain’t gotta sit out there and do anything else — your best is good enough. Do your job, and everything will fall into place. That’s what we’re preaching, and that’s what we will continue to preach.”

QUICK HITS ON OLDER GUYS IN POSITION TO CONTRIBUTE

• On senior tackle Bobby Jamison-Travis: “He’s explosive. His first thing is that he’s become a student of the game. When he first got here from junior college he could barely understand our defense under Coach Roberts. Now when Coach (DJ) Durkin came in he started to get it slowly. Now he’s at the point where he can play multiple positions.”

• On sophomore tackle Malik Blocton: “We brought in four transfers last year and Malik was a freshman coming into that room. Malik said, “I don’t care about anything, I don’t care about being a freshman, I’m going to play.’ He was a student of the game early, coming in. That has always been in him, being a leader. I think now, what happened was he went out and showed that he could do it as a player. So, now, those guys are coming to him and are like, ‘Hey, Malik, what’s up, give me some pointers.'”

• On Hardy: “He’s always had it in him, right? He’s like a dancing bear. The dude can dunk a basketball at 315 pounds. It’s just about getting it out of him every time. But, right now, he’s playing play the best ball that I’ve seen him play. And I’m excited about it. I’m excited to see what he does in his last year.”

QUICK HITS ON YOUNGER GUYS IN POSITION TO CONTRIBUTE

• On Crawford: “A big ball of muscle. That dude is powerful. He’s powerful. You really don’t get the true gist of it until he gets out here and he’s going against guys like Jeremiah Wright and Connor Lew. The kid is going to be special.”

• On freshman tackle Malik Autry: “He’s doing a good job. He falls in the mode of what Malik Blocton was as a freshman, as far as being a student of the game and things like that. But he’s doing a good job learning the playbook. He’s also a guy that can play both positions, nose and tackle for us. For a freshman, that’s something that’s not easy to do. Excited about him.”

• On freshman Antonio Coleman: “He has all the tools in the world. Gotta get him to get the playbook. We’ve moved him from defensive end to d-tackle. But he has all the potential in the world. Gonna continue to push him, stay on him, get him to pick up the weight, because he’s really an inside guy.”