AUBURN | In a season filled with lowlights, Auburn’s defense has been one of the few highlights.

The unit has thrived under first-year defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin and steadily improved despite six true freshmen playing prominent roles.

“DJ and Charles Kelly and the entire staff have just brought an energy and a level of excitement to our kids over there,” said AU coach Hugh Freeze. “Obviously, their plans are good and they’re playing hard and getting better each week.”

The Tigers’ defense is currently ranked sixth in the SEC allowing 314.4 yards per game, seventh allowing 109.0 rushing yards and eighth allowing 205.4 passing yards.

But in their last three conference games against Missouri, Kentucky and Vanderbilt, AU has allowed an average of 78.3 rushing yards.

"Our guys are really executing for us at a high level,” said Durkin on Tiger Talk. “As the season’s gone on, we’ve progressively gotten better. The last three teams we’ve played, those teams are all teams that rush the ball really well.

“So that was a part of what we needed to do to put ourselves in position to win those games. And I think our guys really bought into that.”

The six freshmen playing prominent roles include defensive lineman Malik Blocton, defensive end Amaris Williams, linebacker Demarcus Riddick, cornerback Jay Crawford, nickel Kensley Louidor-Faustin and safety Kaleb Harris.

Crawford and Harris have become full-time starters, and Blocton a part-time starter.

“The good part is these guys just aren’t playing, they’re playing well,” said Durkin. “I think they’re playing at a high level. That speaks volumes to them, and I think, where we’re headed.

“But you’ve got to be really cognizant as a coach of how much we put in scheme-wise, gameplan-wise, what we’re asking these guys to do. There’s that fine line of what’s too much and what’s too little.”

Auburn, which is off this week, hosts ULM Nov. 16 at 11:45 a.m. CT on SEC Network.