Prior to last season, Auburn hadn't had a first team All-SEC linebacker since 2004, when its now-position coach, Travis Williams, did so as anchor on that infamously strong defense.

Now, the Tigers have had two in a row. And they're not satisfied with just one all-conference player in their room at a time.

"I believe we're the best linebacker crew in the nation," sophomore Zakoby McClain said.

This group was pegged as one of the more inexperienced units on the team heading into the 2019 season. While in terms of starting experience that was true, Williams and defensive coordinator Kevin Steele made sure the likes of McClain, 2019 first team All-SEC nod K.J. Britt, and Chandler Wooten got exposure before they were thrust into first-time starting roles this year.

For McClain, along with true freshman Owen Pappoe, the responsibilities were a lot to handle, but the leadership of Britt and Wooten ensured there would be no drop-off from the linebackers from 2018, when all three starters were seniors, to 2019.

"K.J. and Wooten made sure we were going to keep it strong, keep building off it," McClain said.

And sure enough, with Williams' confidence behind them at every turn, there was nowhere near a drop-off for his linebackers this season. Britt, while posting the top run-defense grade of any linebacker in college football, was named first team all-conference, Auburn's second consecutive season with a linebacker honored there after Deshaun Davis last year.

And Williams called it in the summer, when he knew there was All-SEC talent within that room.

"I mean, that's just the trust he has in his room," Britt said. "He recruited us. He knows what we are. He knows the potential that we have. He knows what it takes to be an All-SEC linebacker. He was one. I guess he'd seen it in his room during spring ball and seen what it takes, that one of us would have a chance or a few of us would have a chance to be an All-SEC linebacker.

"It means a lot," Britt continued. "A lot of time and a lot of sacrifices I had to overcome to get to this point ... I'm really proud of myself. I really haven't gave myself a pat on the back about it. I just know the time and dedication I put into trying to be an Auburn linebacker and trying to see how far that could take me. It got me honors of All-SEC."

McClain seemingly improved by the week, culminating in his 11-tackle, pick-six performance in the Iron Bowl win over Alabama. Though not named to the freshman All-SEC squad, Pappoe was one of the top defenders in the conference for his age. And while Wooten was 14th on the team in tackles, the rest of the defense lauded over his leadership and on-field smarts week in and week out.

And after every accomplishment — every SEC Defensive Player of the Week, every national honor, anything deemed shout-out worthy — there was Williams, posting videos on social media, sometimes pulling over on the side of the road to do so. The common theme in all of them: jubilation and pride for his pupils.

"I love it. It makes my day," McClain said. "It makes me smile. It's like somebody who cares about you. Everybody wants somebody to care about them."

That genuine bond with Williams is what led to Auburn signing three blue-chip linebackers during the early signing period. It's what motivates Britt and company to be leaders on the defense — to be like Williams was when he took the field for the Tigers.

"It's awesome, because at the same time it can be shocking that he's doing that, but at the same time he played here," Britt said. "... It shows you how much he loves Auburn, shows you how much he loves us, but at the same time he's proud of us because he's helping us a long the way. So, I mean, those are big to have a coach with that much support.

"But at the same time he's an Auburn brother, and we love him as much as he loves us."