Coffee and Magnolia: 12 December 2015

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR SEARCH

Barring something else strange happening, we're back to this just being a "Defensive Coordinator" update since Tulsa tabbed Baylor's OC rather than ours to be their head coach.

As for that update... I put something up in the DC Search Story Stream this morning.

AUBURN FOOTBALL

In awesome news, Reese Dismukes won the Rimington Trophy for the nation's most outstanding center, and was named to the Walter Camp Foundation All-American Team. I'm straight stealing these from commenter AU_Jonesy, but here are some stats regarding his time here:

• 49 starts (Wisconsin should be his 50th) out of a maximum 51

• 41 100 yard rushing perfomances

• In 39 starts under Gus Malzahn (as HC and OC) Reese blocked for 36 100-yard rushers.

• In 13 starts in 2011, Auburn ran for 2370 yards and 20 TDs on 536 attempts

• In 10 starts in 2012, Auburn ran for 1500 yards and 14 TDs on 360 attempts

• In 14 starts in 2013, Auburn ran for 4596 yards and 48 TDs on 729 attempts (whew my eyes water at those numbers. goodness gracious)

• In 12 starts in 2014, Auburn ran for 3102 yards and 30 TDs on 564 attempts.

• In an average Reese Dismukes start, Auburn ran 44.7 times for 236.1 yards and 2.3 TDs.

• When coached by Gus Malzahn, an average Reese Dismukes start was 46.9 carries for 258.2 yards and 2.5 TDs

Dismukes was also up for the Outland Trophy honoring the nation's top interior lineman. That award went to Iowa's Brandon Scherff.

In other honors, freshman Braden Smith was named to the SEC's All-Freshman Team.

The Columbus Ledger-Enquirer continues their projections of what Auburn will look like next season. They're on to the receivers, now.

In another news around the site, Auburn announced it will be playing the Mercer Bears in football in 2017. While a date has not been set, it's easy to imagine that this game will be a part of pre-rivalry week's "SEC-SoCon Challenge." Although it could be moved up to an earlier week. Auburn will be playing FCS Jacksonville State early in the season next year and Sun Belt bottom-feeder Idaho pre-rivalry week.

I posted an article on former Wisconsin head coach and current athletic director (and sitting CFB Playoff Committee member) Barry Alvarez coaching the Badgers against Auburn in the Outback Bowl, but Bucky's 5th Quarter has you covered much more than I could.

For NFL prospects, Mel Kiper discussed some Auburn players like Duke, Sammie, and Nick Marshall. He projects Duke and Sammie high enough that I would doubt they will return to Auburn. Nick Marshall he projects as a mid-to-late round defensive back.

MISCELLANEOUS

Cam Newton is very thankful after his Tuesday wreck. The Panther's QB may miss a few games, but in the grand scheme of things he came out very well.

Former Auburn DB Jerraud Powers stole the show on Thursday night football, last night. He disrupted two Rams plays right before the half coming on a blitz and then knocked down the Rams' last-gasp effort on 4th down on another blitz.