Auburn Football Xs & Os Explained

Intro to the Muschamp Defense Part 2: The Blitz

Examining the Muschamp Defense a bit more.

Throwing on the Move: Rollouts and Naked Bootlegs

Rollouts and Bootlegs give Auburn's quarterback some advantages he just can't get in the pocket.

Flood Concepts: How LittleRock is Supposed to Work

The Miracle in Jordan-Hare wasn't really a Hail Mary. It was a designed play that didn't quite go as planned. We're all glad it worked out, but here's how it's supposed to go.

Intro to the Coach BOOM Defense: Part 1, The Buck

Have you been enjoying the offensive Xs and Os posts that WarRoomEagle has been doing? Well now Tuco is here to give you something you've probably been wanting: a look at the Muschamp Defense

Outrunning Linebackers Through the Air

Gus Malzahn uses speedy routes through the heart of the defense to pick on opposing linebackers.

Short Throws vs. Soft Coverage

With the same look as Four Verts, Auburn can also play ball control with short passes.

Going Deep with Four Verticals

When Auburn wants to hit a big play, outnumbering the defense deep is a good way to do it.

WHEEL ROUTE. Picking on the Cornerback: Part 2

Auburn has two more plays to pick on the cornerback. One of them is a fan favorite.

Picking on the Cornerback: Part 1

Two of Auburn's basic pass plays force the cornerback to cover two receivers. He can't.

The "Route" is On

Receivers run very specific paths to find open grass among the secondary. These are the routes Auburn's receivers use.

Gus Breaks Down 2011 Alabama Defense

Defensive Coverage Recognition

Every defense has a strength. Every defense has a weakness. The quarterback needs to know what the defense is doing so he can avoid its strengths and attack its weakness. This is how he does it.

When a No-Huddle Team Actually Huddles

When a No-Huddle team like Auburn actually huddles, it's still Hurry-Up, it looks strange, and it usually leads to a big play.

How Auburn Moves the Ball Through the Air

The Tigers had one of the best ground attacks this year. Malzahn and Lashlee hope to balance it out this year with plenty of passing. Having a second-year quarterback and a deep receiving corps won't hurt.

How Malzahn Spices Up the Running Game

Auburn may focus on only three major running plays, but with so many options, fakes and blockers coming from every direction, defenses can hardly keep up.

Buck Yeah! WarRoomEagle diagrams the Buck Sweep

When defenders start squeezing inside to stop the run up the middle, the Buck Sweep gets the ball around them instead of through them.

Spread? Nope. Gus' Powerful Downhill Running Game

If the Inside Zone is designed to spread and shred the defense, the Power and Counter are designed to obliterate one side of it with laser focus. WarRoom Eagle continues the X's and O's coverage by explaining the Power and Counter.

Auburn's Most Basic Run Play: The Inside Zone

WarRoom Eagle explains the rules and techniques for the Inside Zone, a play that Auburn used as a building block for the entire offense. This play has to work before reads and fakes are added to the playbook.

Why Does the Defense Look Like That?

Tuco details why defenses look the way they do as a result of how offenses attack them.

An Explanation of Gus Malzahn's Crazy Formations

WarRoomEagle continues our Xs and Os efforts with a discussion of the Auburn formations. It might look like a new-age offense, but its roots go back 40, 80, and even 100 years.

A Primer Into the Madness of the Gus Malzahn HUNH

WarRoomEagle continues our Xs and Os efforts with a discussion of some of the basics of Gus Malzahn's HUNH offense. There's a reason I (Walt) nicknamed him "Gustav the Mad Scientist of Football" on TheAuburner when he was hired as OC in 2009.

Defense Defined

Tuco gives us a base of knowledge from which we can all develop a deeper understanding of Auburn's 4-2-5 defense.

Tuco Details Auburn's 4-2-5

Longtime commenter, new contributor Tuco gives us an introduction to Ellis Johnson's defense.