Two days removed from their first scrimmage of the fall and one day out from their next one, the Auburn football team was off on Friday--official team picture day.
After lining up with their players for the photo, Auburn's assistant coaches sat down for interviews for the first time since practice started one week ago.
The message on Friday was the same from the three defensive assistants--associate head/defensive line coach Rodney Garner, co-defensive coordinator/safeties coach Charlie Harbison and cornerbacks coach Melvin Smith--the Tigers have made strides in fall camp, but the coaches want to see more consistency.
"I think we've still got a long way to go," Garner said. "We've got a lot of work to do fundamentally, and we have to be more consistent in our play. We can't afford to be up and down, and we need to be more physical as a line."
Garner said he was "disappointed" in the defensive line play during Wednesday's scrimmage. He sees the talent in Auburn's linemen, but he wants more out of them as camp rolls on.
"They all have had flashes, but flashes aren't good enough," Garner said. "We've got to be more consistent and improve fundamentally across the board. There is no one at that level that we need to be at in order to be a force in this conference.
"I think if our guys continue to work hard and improve their fundamentals, then we can be a very, very improved unit and we'll make the strides to where these guys want to be."
Smith had a more positive tone when talking to his cornerbacks, but he said he judges players on one word--consistency.
"The consistent work (the cornerbacks) have done so far is pleasing to my eyes," Smith said. "And it's hard to please my eyes."
Smith definitely knows good cornerbacks when he sees them. The Mississippi native comes to Auburn with a pedigree of producing some of the finest cornerbacks in college football.
He has almost two decades of experience in the SEC, and his 2012 Mississippi State Bulldog secondary featured the Johnthan Banks, who won the Thorpe Award as the nation's best defensive back. Banks snagged four interceptions at State last season, which was double the amount Auburn's entire defense had.
During this last week of practice, players have said in interviews that the defense has forced more turnovers, and Smith believes that will continue into the season.
"I think the emphasis comes through in our drills," Smith said. "To me, it's all about getting experience out there in coverage and knowing when to transition your eyes from receiver to quarterback."
Smith said his defensive backs always intercept balls, and the safeties under Harbison do the same.
"I tell my guys if you don't get bored in doing your job, good things will happen," Harbison said when asked about an emphasis on interceptions. "It may be a tackle, it may be a pass breakup or it may be an interception."
Harbison believes interceptions are a result of the entire defense's play, from Garner's defensive linemen to Ellis Johnson's linebackers to his and Smith's secondary. Once again, it comes down to consistent work in individual roles.
"I believe in getting tips and overthrows," Harbison said. "How do you get those? Do your job, be in your position, believe in the system and execute."
The Tigers will return to the field on Saturday for a scrimmage at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Head coach Gus Malzahn said on Thursday that the emphasis will be on specific situations the staff found in the film of Wednesday's scrimmage.
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