AUBURN | Auburn returns four cornerbacks that started at least one game last season, added a junior college signee in January and will add a talented transfer from West Virginia this summer.
That’s six cornerbacks that could all make a case to be a starter.
Fortunately, new defensive coordinator Derek Mason has a plan and it makes a lot of sense when you consider the Tigers’ SEC West opponents.
“In this conference, as you know, it’s not like you’re going to be facing 21 personnel, OK. You face 11 personnel, sometimes even 10 personnel, depending on who you play,” said Mason. “For us, the ability to have guys who are position flexes — you started talking about six corners, but some of those guys could play nickel. So, if you slide some of those guys inside, what’s a nickel? A nickel is either a safety who’s got run/pass flexibility or a corner who can guard inside and show up in the run game.”
In football terms, 11 personnel is a running back, tight end and three receivers while 10 personnel is one running back and four wide receivers. And it’s not just the number of receivers that concern SEC defensive coordinators.
Alabama’s 2019 receiving corps included first round NFL picks Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs III, and projected 2021 first round picks DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle. Smith became the first wide receiver to win the Heisman Trophy since Desmond Howard in 1991.
That same season, LSU used the arm of Joe Burrow and a receiving corps that included first rounder Justin Jefferson, projected first rounder Ja’Marr Chase and projected first or second rounder Terrace Marshall to win the national championship.
The 2019 NFL draft saw Ole Miss place two wide receivers in the second round and second-year Mississippi State coach Mike Leach is just getting started with his version of the Air Raid offense.
Defenses can get in big trouble if they try to cover those third and fourth receivers with nickels, safeties or even linebackers.
“I think having the depth at corner allows us to move some pieces around to make sure we get the best players on the field and we build depth when you talk about coverage,” said Mason. “In this defense, man, you’re going to have to be able to cover. Whether we’re playing zone or man, it doesn’t matter; you want guys with length, speed, athleticism, and I think that’s what we have right now.”
Mason has already started moving pieces around in Auburn’s secondary starting with Ladarius Tennison, who has been working beside Smoke Monday at safety after ending last season as the starting nickel.
Nehemiah Pritchett, who started the final 10 games at cornerback, has been working at nickel. The top two cornerbacks during Saturday’s practice were Roger McCreary, a returning starter, and Jaylin Simpson, who was named SEC Freshman of the Week after a start in game one before being sidelined with an injury.
Marco Domio, who started the bowl game, is expected to return from injury for the second half of spring drills while JUCO transfer Kamal Hadden is making his case to be a big part of the secondary this spring.
West Virginia transfer Dreshun Miller is expected to join the team in May.
“When Dreshun gets here in the summer, we'll have the full secondary or the full gamut of corners at our disposal,” said Mason. “So we'll be able to move those guys around and slide some of those guys inside so they can play some nickel."
Auburn will hold its fifth of 15 spring practices Wednesday afternoon. The A-Day game is scheduled for April 17.
