re: Official Spring Practice (We Talkin' Bout Practice?) Thread:

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When Zach Gilbert went to the field for the first day of spring practice on Feb. 28, 2006, he wasn’t sure what to expect from the new defensive coordinator who had arrived from the Miami Dolphins. Soon, Gilbert realized things were going to be different.

“Anytime I talk about Coach Muschamp, I talk about perfection and efficiency and passion,” said Gilbert, a financial advisor in Birmingham. “He’s so much of a perfectionist that he demands the best out of each of his players individually.”

If the Auburn defensive players of 2015 respond with effort and energy, Gilbert said, they will thrive. If they don’t, they won’t make it.

“He’s so passionate about it that if you’re not ready and don’t have the mindset for it, you are going to hang it up,” Gilbert said. “Or you are going to respond and be better for it. It’s going to be physical. They are going to have to be physically tough but also mentally tough.”

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Antonio Coleman was a redshirt freshman in 2006. He quickly found a home as the buck end in Muschamp’s defensive scheme. That’s the hybrid defensive end/linebacker position that Carl Lawson will play in the days ahead.

“Muschamp is a high-energy guy. Great coach,” said Coleman, who plays now for the Canadian Football League’s Hamilton Tiger Cats. “I loved playing for him. But it’s real different.” The practice field, Coleman said, will be for men only.

“I expect him to be chewing a lot of people out,” Coleman said with a laugh. “If nothing else, the defense is going to be physical. He’s going to demand every bit out of you that he can get out of you.” Coleman played for Muschamp for two seasons. He went to be a two-time All-SEC selection. “It’s not going to be hard if you have a good football IQ,” Coleman said. “It’s going to be a learning curve, but Muschamp goes over everything. He’s ready to teach you what you need to know.”

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Josh Thompson was a junior nose guard when Muschamp arrived. He, too, recognized quickly that it was a new day for Auburn defense. He remembers Muschamp’s intensity and his intelligence. “He’s a great guy,” Thompson said. “He’s really a good player’s coach. The one thing I remember is he is just so smart. He relates to the players in a way we could actually understand what was going on no matter what the offense was running. “He’s intense on the practice field, off the practice field, everywhere. The only time he’s not really intense is when football is not being discussed.”

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Malzahn will have his first spring press conference at 11:30 a.m. today and his third Auburn team will take the field at 3:30 p.m.

It will practice again Thursday and will go to Jordan-Hare Stadium for live work on Saturday.

The Tigers will practice on Tuesday and Thursday next week before taking off for spring break. They will return for 10 more practices, including the A-Day game on April 18.

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Josh Thompson

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