The Auburn defensive coordinator's slot is to college coaching what the intro rapper slot is to hip-hop: the jump-off point for solo gigs down the road. First Gene Chizik hops to Texas and an upcoming head coaching gig in the near future; then David Gibbs nabs an NFL job after one year in the spot. Next up is Will Muschamp, the former LSU DC who sports an enviable coaching pedigree--Bill Oliver and Nick Saban--and seems to be channeling both in Auburn's spring practices.
"It's like the guy drank a gallon of coffee," said linebacker Karibi Dede. "He was bouncing all over the place (in practice). You'll never fall asleep in practice. No day will be dull, because he keeps you moving."
If Muschamp runs similar systems to what LSU did--another well-detailed scheme you'll find in Brian Curtis' book Every Week a Season--this means an unparalleled amount of film study, multiple-look blitzes, and alternating coverages. With Auburn retaining much of its defensive talent, they should be screeching horrors on that side of the ball with Muschamp at the reins. John Parker Wilson, revisit your life insurance policy pronto.
The question is: who'll be their defensive coordinator next year?
If last year's protection was any indication, Bama QB Wilson will be playing practically naked against Auburn.