Auburn is just a day away from Hugh Freeze’s first A-Day as Tigers head coach. Freeze will lead his squad through a 60-minute scrimmage with a running clock. It’ll be offense versus defense, like most of the spring games that take place during this time of year. However, there is a twist unlike many that will take place.

The defense will start with a 24-0 lead, with the offense having to make plays to get back into the game, and possibly win it.

“I don’t know if I’m making sense, but for the spring game format, the defense will be giving a selected number of points,” Freeze said to reporters. “I will let our staff decide that, and then I will start drives at various spots and hopefully some end in points. If the defense can hold the offenses to under that point, the defense wins the spring game. And they’ll get to eat steak or something. And the losers will eat a hot dog. Something like that.”

We looked at some questions Auburn fans would want to be answered during A-Day on the offensive side of the ball on Thursday, starting with the quarterback. Now we’ll visit the defense under new defensive coordinator Ron Roberts, who wasn’t shy about setting high expectations for the Tigers.

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“We’re at Auburn, and I expect us to be a top-20 defense in the country,” Roberts said. “We need to do that. How we get that done is that we get the guys in the right spot, playing assignment football, playing disciplined football, being mentally tough, being physically tough, doing all the things that we got to do right. I always believe is you set the standard, and then guys rise to that standard. We’re at Auburn and there’s certain expectations you’re going put on the helmet. That’s what it should be like, and you should expect to perform at that level.”

Cornerbacks

D.J. James, Jaylin Simpson, Nehemiah Pritchett, and J.D. Rhym are an experienced group. However, there isn’t much left after those players. Rhym missed most of spring practice with an undisclosed injury. His absence left the Tigers with three scholarship corners for spring football.

“Yeah, we really don’t have a lot of corners right now. Just number-wise, on the team, we don’t have them. I think we’ve got three scholarship corners going,” Roberts said. “The three that can go are going to be able to go. Yeah, we really don’t have a lot of corners right now. Just number-wise, on the team, we don’t have them. I think we’ve got three scholarship corners going. … The three that can go are going to be able to go.”

Expect Auburn to be active in the portal with the spring window open from April 15-30, less than a week after the spring game. The Tigers did sign JC Hart, Colton Hood, and Tyler Scott for the 2023 signing class, all of whom will arrive in the fall.

Edge

Losing Derick Hall, Eku Leota, and Marcus Bragg left Freeze with a pass-rusher shortage. Freshman Keldric Faulk and Vanderbilt transfer Elijah McAllister add depth and talent. However, a team can never have enough guys to pressure opposing quarterbacks.

Dylan Brooks redshirted in 2021 and saw action in nine games with six tackles and a sack last season. Brooks is the only scholarship edge rusher to return to the team. Auburn will explore the portal for more pass-rushers once the window opens.

“We’re not where we need to be in rushing the passer,” Freeze said. “We certainly will improve our guys, but we’ve got to get better at that spot, for sure. At all spots, but we’ve got to get better. We’re deficient in true pass-rushers currently.”

Safety

Donovan Kaufman, Marquise Gilbert, Zion Puckett, Cayden Bridges, and Marquise Gilbert have lots of experience playing quality football. However, similarly to the cornerbacks, there isn’t a lot of players with game action behind them.

Can Auburn find more help for the safety group in the portal? We’ll find out.

Nubyjas Wilborn covers Auburn for Alabama Media Group.