Defensive line coach Rodney Garner is an old-school guy who doesn't mind infusing amplitude and attitude on the practice field.
Some players struggle to make sense of it. Nick Coe isn't one of those players.
The introspective sophomore from North Carolina arrived on campus two years ago fully capable of separating Garner's suggestions from the bluster. After spending a redshirt year in the weight room to add bulk and boost his lower-body strength, Coe jumped directly into the rotation as a redshirt freshman in 2017 — no small feat for a varsity newcomer. He improved as the season progressed and played his best game during the Tigers' Iron Bowl victory. For his work, Coe was named to the SEC's All-Freshman Team.
Two things stick out about Coe right now: Acceleration and determination. He never quits on a play and, in fact, sometimes elicits laughs for continuing to spar with blockers after the whistle blows. That goes for plays aimed at his side or away from him; there is no "off" switch.
He did a better job incorporating hand violence into his rushing technique in October, which helped him become a more consistently disruptive element. Though he's still not strong enough to successfully bull rush SEC blockers, Coe nonetheless made significant progress in terms of using his long arms to create leverage along the perimeter. Considering his relative inexperience, Coe did a nice job of keeping his primary objective in mind. He lost some one-on-one battles, sure, but he rarely ran himself out of position.
That allowed him to make a difference against the run as well. Coe diagnoses things quickly.
Garner loves the kid's work ethic, willingness to accept coaching and his dedication to learn from mistakes. He was a recruiting project insofar as Coe was better known as a wrestler in high school, but former defensive coordinator Will Muschamp told anyone who'd listen that the traits that made Coe a terrific wrestler (pliability, balance, concentration, steady personality) eventually would make him a terrific defensive end.
Coe's initial exposure to the SEC was nothing short of a runaway success considering his projected path to relevance. The goal for 2018 will be to continue challenging for a starting job — a difficult task considering he often is grouped with Marlon Davidson — and making the most of his opportunities. If past is prologue, Coe could be a legitimate star as soon as this fall.
ON THE UP SIDE: Explosiveness, length, determination
ON THE DOWN SIDE: Experience, technical refinement, power
VOTING RESULTS: No. 8 (The Bunker), No. 15 (Bryan Matthews), No. 16 (Jeffrey Lee), No. 20 (Jay G. Tate)
PREVIOUS RANKINGS: The is Coe's first year in the AuburnSports.com Top 20.
