Gus Malzahn said in a press conference Tuesday night he would take his time in deciding who will fill the assistant coaching positions.
However, Malzahn wasted no time in securing former Southern Miss head coach Ellis Johnson as Auburn's next defensive coordinator.
Former defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder was released Wednesday -- along with the rest of the assistant coaches -- after Auburn allowed the most yards and the second most points in school history.
Along with a few unsuccessful head coaching stints, Johnson has been coaching defenses for 37 years.
More importantly, Johnson has been coaching SEC defenses.
Johnson was the linebackers coach for Alabama's 1992 national championship team.
Johnson was also the defensive coordinator for Mississippi State from 2004-07 and South Carolina from 2008-11. In his first year under Steve Spurrier in South Carolina, Johnson improved the Gamecocks' defense from No. 56 to No. 13, and in 2011, Johnson's last season with South Carolina, the unit was ranked as high as No. 3 nationally.
Johnson just concluded his first season as head coach of Southern Mississippi in which the Golden Eagles went winless, finishing 0-12.
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