Greetings from the Plains! This is my first post, and I look forward to adding more commentary in the future. After saying goodbye to defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, the Auburn Tigers now welcome new defensive guru Paul Rhoades. Rhoades has been coaching at the University of Pittsburgh for the past several years and is the second new coach on the Auburn staff within the last three months. Pittsburgh’s defense was ranked fifth nationally, and although the team had a losing record, we all remember what their defense did to West Virginia last year (good news for us!). I think that this is a good hire for the Tigers because Rhoades is a serious secondary coach and has several valuable years of college football experience. Rhoades is 40 years old, and while he could certainly move on to another coaching position elsewhere in the future (see Gene Chizik and Muschamp), I think there is not much to worry about him making an early exit. Unless something like this happens one too many times.

My final question about the effects of Muschamp’s departure lies within the team itself. Was it that he was a good defensive coach, or was it that we had talented defensive players? Next year should be another great year for the Auburn defense: the only players to depart are Quentin Groves, Pat Lee and Pat Sims.

We will miss ya, Quentin.

- Josh