Auburn Football Defensive Preview

Cal now knows Eugene Asante, but who else do the Bears need to look out for?

Jalen McLeod via Austin Perryman/Auburn Tigers

Auburn played arguably their best game last year on defense against Cal. In a theme well known to Cal fans from the late 2010’s, it was linebacker Eugene Asante who totaled 12 total tackles, 1 sack, 1.5 TFL’s, and 2 QB hurries en route to a 14-10 rockfight win. Asante returns for this seasons matchup but its a whole host of new Tigers surrounding him.

2023 Defense in Review

• Gave up 22.6 points per game

• were led by DC Rob Roberts

  • the 4th and 31 play against Alabama was the catalyst for his dismissal at the end of last year

• Against Cal, the aforementioned Asante helped lead the charge in smothering the Bears offense. Other players who also shined but will not be present for this matchup are DT Marcus Harris (1 sack + great run support), CB DJ James (1 INT) , and S Jaylin Simpson (1 INT).

• Auburn ran a 4-2-5 last year and runs a variation of the 4-2-5 this year with their new coordinator

2024 changes

• Auburn is now led by DC DJ Durkin

  • Durkin was the defensive coordinator for Texas A&M the last two seasons

  • those Aggies defenses were fairly physical, with DJ Durkin mixing up pressures constantly and leading the SEC in rushing yards given up per game

  • Durkin runs a variation of the 4-2-5, with three down linemen and a BUCK/JACK playing edge.

• Auburn also hired former Alabama Associate DC Charles Kelly, one of the best recruiters in the nation. Kelly will also coach the safeties, adding another well rounded football mind into the defensive room

Provisional Starters

DE Keldrick Faulk, DT Malik Blocton, NT Trill Carter OR Jayson Jones, BUCK Jalen McLeod

ILB Eugene Asante, ILB Dorian Mausi Jr

CB Kayin Lee, S Jerrin Thompson, S Caleb Wooden, NB Champ Anthony, CB Keionte Scott

Depth Chart

This is one of the more unique depth charts that I’ve come across when looking over teams. All defensive starts are listed with an OR on the depth chart. Of course these aren’t meant to be gospel but it does showcase both on paper and on the field that Hugh Freeze and DJ Durkin are willing to rotate a lot of players. In particular, Auburn will rotate heavily on the defensive line, with a mix of young players and veterans coming into the fold and both adjusting to the college game along with the Alabama heat.

Players/Personnel to Watch

I’d be remiss if I didn’t lead with Eugene Asante as the person that Cal has to pinpoint every snap. After Jaydn Ott made a statement about the Auburn brand, it was Asante who willed Auburn on his back and defended his program. Valid or not, the Tigers will assuredly remember those words even if Ott doesn’t suit up Saturday.

Asante is just one of many versatile athletes on the Auburn defense. Jalen McLeod has taken a step forward as a player who can wreck off the edge. While the Alabama A&M game didn’t yield any meaningful results, McLeod has been a player constantly touted as someone who is primed for a bigger role. When you mix two freak athletes with a coordinator that’s not afraid to get exotic with their blitzing, it brings a consistent challenge for the Cal offensive line.

Lastly, the secondary for Auburn is a place that can turn into a pressure point during the game. A season ago, the back end was a clear strength for the Tigers, with S Jaylin Simpson (Colts practice squad), CB Nehemiah Pritchett (Seahawks), and CB DJ James (UDFA) now all heading to the NFL. Keionte Scott currently mans the ship as the leader, but has shifted from his nickel spot to the outside. Not only will I want to see if Auburn can gel together in the back like a season ago, but can they do it consistently when handing off assignments. Cal themselves has to get healthy and consistent with their skill position guys, but there are game breaking plays to be had.

I didn’t find the Alabama A&M game to be particularly useful, so I’ll link to the Spring game for a brief look of how Auburn likes to place their players. Understandably this isn’t a 1:1 example of how they will look, but in the age of the transfer portal, it is difficult to string together film from groups that haven’t played together all that often.

How Cal can win this game

A lot of sloppiness from last week will not fly at Auburn. It’s fair to say that Cal didn’t show their whole arsenal on offense but the same can also be said about the Tigers on defense. The Bears offensive line needs to clean up their communication, elevate to the second level to create rush lanes for whoever is in the backfield, and as a result allow Fernando Mendoza enough time to make plays when the Tigers send more into the box.

If Cal gets into an unbalanced split, that could spell significant trouble. The offensive line needs to stand firm, the receivers have to finish routes, and its imperative that the tight ends chip and release efficiently. The Bears need to continually find ways to keep Auburn on their toes to have a chance at winning, and if that includes the ultra rare Justin Wilcox trick play (end arounds do not count), then so be it. The offense operationally at minimum needs to deliver a 90% on their test, limiting turnovers, cutting down on penalties, and being opportunistic with deep shots down the field.

This is a tall task with all of the musical chairs on offense. But if Cal forges a path forward this way, there can be light at the end of the fourth quarter.