It’s the first of two bye weeks for Hugh Freeze and Auburn football.
Much like his first two seasons on The Plains, Freeze’s best unit so far has been the defense.
Through five games, D.J. Durkin’s unit is allowing 13.8 points per game and forcing one turnover on average.
Last week in College Station, Auburn played its best game of the season on defense. The Tigers allowed 10 points to No. 9 Texas A&M and nearly scored six of their own when linebacker Xavier Atkins was tackled at the Aggies’ 2-yard line on a potential pick-six opportunity.
Atkins has been one of the best stories of the season so far. The LSU transfer has recorded 29 tackles, six tackles for loss, three sacks, one interception and one fumble recovery.
The Houston native’s best performance of the season came close to home last week. He notched 10 tackles, including two for a loss, and a crucial interception against Texas A&M.
“Man, the reason I think he has success in playing very well is the guy practices that way, every day. He loves ball,” Freeze said after the loss to Texas A&M. “He’ll get out of his gaps sometimes and make a mental error sometimes, but the one thing you never have to worry about is the effort and passion that he has for the game and for his teammates.”
On the defensive line, Keyron Crawford has led the way for Durkin’s group. The senior has posted 20 tackles, six tackles for loss, four sacks and one interception in his third season on The Plains.
During the preseason, many mock drafts had edge rusher Keldric Faulk projected as a first-round pick in next year’s NFL Draft. While Faulk is an outstanding player, he hasn’t reached an elite level just yet. He has recorded 12 tackles and two sacks through five games. If Faulk can elevate his play, Auburn’s defense will become even more dangerous for opposing offenses.
In the secondary, Eric Winters has led the group this season. While the unit has been beaten at times, it usually holds firm when needed. The freshman has racked up 16 tackles, one tackle for loss and one sack on the year.
The defense is doing its part. Now it’s time for the Tigers’ offense to show up and defend Jordan-Hare Stadium next week against Georgia.
“We have two weeks to prepare for Georgia, and we’re going to reevaluate everything on our offense,” Freeze said.
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Rory is a sophomore majoring in journalism sports production. He started with The Plainsman in the spring of 2025.
You can follow him on X (Twitter) at @RorymGarvin
