Defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson is not one to sugar coat the issue.
Six days into spring practice, more plays and schemes are being installed each day, and assignments will get more complicated as the team progresses.
However, the lingering issue for Auburn's defense is one of the most basic elements of football: tackling.
"The most disappointing thing and concerning thing right now is just our tackling," Johnson said after practice Friday morning. "You recruit some of the best players in the country to come to a school like Auburn, and you can't take for granted they know how to tackle exactly right and don't need work on it. What we've tried to do is put a tremendous emphasis on tackling everyday in our drills. Work on it, teach it the right way, and the more time you put in it is also sending a message to them that it's important."
For Auburn fans, the defense's tackling woes are no secret.
Still, Johnson said his unit's angled tackles in the open field were "not bad," and as a team, the tackling was pretty good.
Junior linebacker Justin Garrett has been seeing snaps in the "star" position of Johnson's 4-2-5 defense. According to Johnson, Garrett's tackling has also been the star of the unit.
"He is, without a doubt, the best we've got, and he hasn't played much ball," Johnson said. "Not in games around here. So it isn't always game experience and all those things when it comes to something as simple as physically tackling."
Johnson said two things made Garrett's tackling stand out to him: closing speed (acceleration toward the ball carrier) and contact speed (acceleration through the ball carrier).
Basically, Johnson is looking for "dominant, physical one-on-one plays," and playing with that raw, hard-nosed tenacity he seeks is as much about the players' mentality as their physicality.
"I know we're in good physical condition, but mentally we're not staying focused," Johnson said. "It causes a little break down in assignments or break down in fundamentals and either one of those will get you in trouble."
And yet, the team is still only six days into spring practice, and Johnson has seen positive things from his squad.
Johnson said he has been especially impressed with the secondary. Often criticized the past few seasons for its lack of turnover production, Johnson said his cornerback group -- which didn't record a single interception in 2012 -- has had at least three interceptions in live drills this spring alone.
At linebacker, sophomore Kris Frost and junior Jake Holland are splitting time at the "mike" linebacker spot. As the mike, Frost and Holland are in charge of communicating plays and readying the defense. While Holland has the experience, the younger, more athletic Frost has shown flashes of leadership at a position that sorely needs it.
"He's making some busts and some wrong decisions, but Kris will talk and try to control the defense and try to get everybody on the same page," Johnson said. "And that can be coached. Jake's probably right more than the others are right, but he's got to be quicker, more assertive in setting the calls."
As for the front four, Johnson said the defensive line has been getting decent pressure and is solid against the run. However, to Johnson, consistent play must be partnered with game-changing playmaking ability to make a defense work.
Johnson said Angelo Blackson and either Gabe Wright or Jeff Whitaker are the first unit, but the drop-off in talent after them is alarming.
"Every starter's got to have a backup, and when that starter gets fatigued, his level of performance starts to go down," Johnson said. "That backup should be at least to that level of performance or better. The first unit is way ahead of the second unit. I don't think we have four tackles. I don't think we have four ends."
Auburn will scrimmage tomorrow at Jordan-Hare Stadium to conclude its second week of practice.
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