KNOW YOUR ENEMY: Five questions with Auburn beat reporter Tom Green

Prepare for Florida's homecoming game against Auburn by checking out our Q&A with Auburn Tigers beat writer Tom Green of AL.com.

John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

There's no better way to know your enemy than to get intel from someone familiar with the situation.

At least, that's how we approach matchups on a weekly basis here at GatorMaven. In order to best preview the upcoming game between the 10th ranked Florida Gators and No. 7 Auburn, I'm glad to welcome Auburn beat reporter Tom Green of AL.com for a Q&A.

What makes Auburn's defensive line so dominant? How has freshman quarterback Bo Nix grown through five starts? What problems could Florida create for the Tigers? 

Tom is a graduate of the University of Florida Journalism school, so consider this a homecoming for him as well. Let's get to the Q&A!

1. Everyone talks about just how good this Auburn defensive line is. Tell me what makes it so good? What do certain guys do well?

Tom: What makes this Auburn defensive line so good is two-fold: The Tigers have three guys who could be first- or second-round picks starting up front (Derrick Brown, Marlon Davidson and Nick Coe), but they’ve also got the depth to back it up. That second part is a staple of defensive line coach Rodney Garner, who has always preferred to have an eight- to 10-man rotation along the line. 

It helps keep those players fresh not just in the fourth quarter, when games are on the line, but throughout the gauntlet that is the SEC schedule. For Auburn this year, that rotation has included junior Tyrone Truesdell (the other starter along the line, who happens to lead the team in sacks), fellow tackles Daquan Newkirk and Coynis Miller, and ends/edge-rushers Big Kat Bryant and T.D. Moultry.

2. How does the rest of the defense compare to the DL? What are their strengths and weaknesses?

Tom: The rest of the defense compares pretty favorably to the defensive line, though without a doubt everything this defense does starts up front with that line. 

At linebacker, Auburn had to replace an all-senior set of starters from last season and replace them with a rotation that includes two juniors who were role players (K.J. Britt and Chandler Wooten), a sophomore who played mostly on special teams (Zakoby McClain) and a five-star true freshman (Owen Pappoe). So far, there has been no drop-off from the group – and that was expected by the coaching staff. What this linebacker corps may have lacked in experience, it makes up for in talent and athleticism. Pappoe has been a revelation as a true freshman, while Britt has been a menace to opposing offenses as the quarterback in the middle of the Tigers’ defense. 

As for the secondary, Auburn has no shortage of experience there; the Tigers have two senior starters at safety in Daniel Thomas and Jeremiah Dinson, another senior at one cornerback spot in Javaris Davis, a junior shutdown cornerback in Noah Igbinoghene and a sophomore at nickelback in Christian Tutt. The group as a whole has cut down on giving up big passing plays this season (a weakness at times in 2018) and is 35 nationally in passing efficiency defense – but more importantly, top-20 on third downs.

3. What about Bo Nix? Mullen and Co. were high on him coming out of HS. In what areas has he grown the most over five games? And the rest of the offense?

Tom: It’s easy to see why Bo Nix was a five-star recruit an the top dual-threat quarterback in the country coming out of high school, even if his stats don’t necessarily stand out. This is a kid who was basically groomed from childhood to be Auburn’s starting quarterback – his dad, Patrick Nix, was a quarterback at Auburn in the 90s and coached him through high school – and he has shown an impressive amount of composure through his first five starts. 

He had the game-winning touchdown pass against Oregon in Week 1. He sealed the top-25 road win against Texas A&M with his feet, and then he put everything together and lit up Mississippi State’s defense to the tune of 335 passing yards and a pair of touchdowns while leading Auburn in rushing as well last week. It has been a steady progression for Nix, who has improved his accuracy on downfield passes as his receiving corps has gotten healthier – allowing him to build a better rapport with players like Seth Williams and Anthony Schwartz – and most importantly, he has limited mistakes. 

That goes a long way toward the team’s success, even without eye-popping numbers from the quarterback. Since throwing a pair of interceptions in the first half against Oregon, Nix has not committed a turnover. He knows when to swallow a sack, when to throw the ball away and when to try to make things happen.

4. What should scare head coach Guz Malzahn most about the Gators?

Tom: I think the biggest concern for Malzahn this week should be facing that Florida defensive front. The Gators lead the nation in sacks, and Todd Grantham loves to be aggressive. Malzahn knows this, and he knows the Gators will try to make Nix as uncomfortable as possible in his toughest test to date. If Auburn can gameplan around that, and make things easier on Nix this weekend, the Tigers will have cleared the biggest hurdle they face this weekend.

5. Score prediction?

Tom: Auburn 27, Florida 20.