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AUBURN | Tuesday was a tough day for the Auburn defense.

And it had nothing to do with physical strain.

Defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, in his third week of system installation, began changing his fronts from one play to the next. Auburn spent the first week of spring ball learning how to properly execute a four-man front; the second week was dedicated to understanding the three-man front concept.

Putting it all together, well, that's not as easy as it sounds.

"They were back to first base," Garner said Wednesday. "We've got to get 'em back, get the learning curve back. There are different calls. Their attitude has been great. If they're willing to be coached, they're going to get it."

Muschamp was hired in December to restore effectiveness to a defense that has been below Southeastern Conference average, ironically, since a 5-7 season in 2008. The biggest reason for Auburn's dismal defensive performance during 2014 centered around the lack of pass rush.

Fixing that is Muschamp's top priority.

To that end, so to speak, Auburn is adding a pair of former five-star recruits -- Carl Lawson and Byron Cowart -- into the mix this fall. That infusion of talent at defensive end will make a difference.

However, hoping for health isn't good enough.

Muschamp also is making wholesale changes to how the Tigers' front seven defenders go about their business. He believes that making abrupt, sweeping adjustments to his group's alignment and individual function during games will create serial confusion along the offensive front.

That confusion can be exploited. Sacks and tackles for loss are the yields. Learning how to make those philosophical adjustments on the fly is the defense's biggest spring challenge.

Garner said a "four-down front," meaning a 4-3 alignment, provides solid coverage for interior run lanes. A "three-down front," meaning a 3-4 alignment, allows Auburn to be more devious as far as not tipping its strategic hand.

"You can disguise your pressure," Garner said. "When I was at Georgia working with Grantham, we could disguise so many different ways to bring pressure and do different things. If you can co-mingle, give them a three-down look and then a four-down look, they have to block that thing differently. How are they going to set their pass pro? It definitely gives you a lot of flexibility."

The defense struggled Tuesday to shift quickly from three-down looks to four-down looks. Players too often lost sight of their individual assignments, which the coaching staff expected.

Auburn has worked almost exclusively out of a 4-3 front for years. In fact, the last season in which the Tigers employed a three-down front for more than token, change-of-pace looks was 1998.

Brother Oliver was in command of the defense.

The 3-4 front is particularly grueling on the inside tackle, presumably Montravius Adams, who must monitor both 'A' gaps despite facing double teams almost every snap.

"He's got to be an anchor point," Garner said.

Life at the two outside tackle spots isn't much easier. They must monitor 'B' gaps while sliding outside to at least assist in the 'C' gaps as well.

"They've got to be able to strike the big, 300-pound guys," Garner said. "It's a different teaching, different power base."