Will Muschamp has never lost an Iron Bowl as Auburn's defensive coordinator.
He's never faced a challenge like this one, either.
Muschamp was Auburn's defensive coordinator in 2006 and '07, helping the Tigers to Iron Bowl victories over an Alabama program transitioning from Mike Shula to Nick Saban as head coach. He returned for a second stint last December and on Saturday afternoon faces a rival that is peaking offensively behind junior tailback and Heisman Trophy favorite Derrick Henry.
SEC TV schedule
Friday2:30: Missouri at Arkansas, CBSSaturdayNoon: Clemson at South Carolina, ESPNNoon: Georgia at Georgia Tech, ESPN2Noon: Louisville at Kentucky, SEC Network3:30: Alabama at Auburn, CBS4: Vanderbilt at Tennessee, SEC Network7:15: Ole Miss at Miss. State, ESPN27:30: Florida State at Florida, ESPN7:30: Texas A&M at LSU, SEC Network
"He's an elite player and an elite talent, and we certainly have our work cut out for us," Muschamp said this week in a news conference. "Jake Coker is playing really well at quarterback and has been the key for them in moving forward, and (tight end) O.J. Howard is a mismatch for us."
Compliments were also in store for receivers Calvin Ridley and ArDarius Stewart and other members of Alabama's offensive attack that averages 417.4 yards and 35 points per game.
Muschamp came back to Auburn after four seasons as Florida's head coach. Last season, his Gators ventured to Tuscaloosa and stayed competitive for a while before the Tide pulled away for a 42-21 thumping.
That Alabama offense, which contained quarterback Blake Sims, fullback Jalston Fowler, tailbacks T.J. Yeldon and Henry and All-America receiver Amari Cooper, averaged 36.9 points and a program-record 484.5 yards per game.
"They're different this year because Fowler is not there, so from a personnel standpoint, that's the biggest thing you see on tape," Muschamp said. "I still see a mobile quarterback, because Jake has hurt some teams by extending plays, and you've got a young, emerging receiver in Ridley, who's as talented a young man as we'll see this year."
Auburn's two Iron Bowl victories with Muschamp heading the defense came by scores of 22-15 and 17-10 as the fifth and sixth straight Tigers wins in the series under former head coach Tommy Tuberville. The Tigers allowed only 15.4 points per game during Muschamp's previous two-year stint, and he was a finalist for the Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant in 2007.
Tigers head coach Gus Malzahn lured Muschamp back to repair a defense that gave up 30 or more points last season in its last seven games against Bowl Subdivision foes, but it's been anything but a quick fix.
Auburn started out well enough, shutting out Louisville during the first half of the opening Chick-fil-A Kickoff Classic, but the 6-5 Tigers enter the Iron Bowl allowing 27.2 points and 417.9 yards a game. Those averages are higher than those of a year ago, when Auburn allowed 26.7 points and 398.8 yards per contest, and they help factor into the fact Alabama is a two-touchdown favorite.
"It's not the first time I've been an underdog, and it's not the first time this team has been an underdog," senior linebacker Kris Frost told reporters. "We just have to go into this game knowing exactly what our game plan is and be able to execute it."
Said Muschamp: "We just really need to focus on Auburn and what we need to do to be successful."
Redshirt sophomore defensive end Carl Lawson suffered a hip injury in the opener and didn't return until late last month. That has helped the Tigers improve somewhat, but Muschamp doesn't want Lawson's return to overshadow the development of freshman cornerback Carlton Davis, which has allowed Michigan transfer Blake Countess to shift to his more natural fit at safety.
Auburn's usually potent offense is well off the pace from the past two years, with junior quarterback Jeremy Johnson following a solid showing at Texas A&M with a poor performance against Georgia and then another respectable outing against Idaho. Johnson completed 13 of 19 passes for two touchdowns against the Vandals and also had two rushing scores in the 56-34 victory, but Malzahn has not said whether he or redshirt freshman Sean White will start this week.
Whoever starts at quarterback will have to play his best game of the season, and the same goes for the Auburn defense after a performance against Idaho that Muschamp labeled disappointing.
It's the first Iron Bowl at Jordan-Hare Stadium since Auburn's 34-28 win two years ago, when Chris Davis returned Adam Griffith's 57-yard field-goal attempt the length of the field for a stunning score. Neither team has needed reminding of that this week.
"Every year is different," Malzahn said. "The best thing for us is that we're playing at home, and we know our crowd will be ready. Our players will be ready and our coaches will be ready. We're just glad to be playing at home."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.