Auburn’s defense spent last season sabotaging the efforts of Nick Marshall, Cameron Artis-Payne and the offense.

The Tigers got clobbered by Mississippi State (38 points), Texas A&M (41 points) and Alabama (55 points) in three West Division losses, precipitating the firing of defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson.

Enter Will Muschamp, known for punching a white board while delivering a passionate locker-room Xs and Os talk.

Auburn feels like it can and should contend for an SEC title and a College Football Playoff spot in 2015. That won’t happen without marked improvement on defense.

It helps that the team gets Carl Lawson back from injury and returns players like cornerback Jonathan Jones, linebacker Cassanova McKinzy and linebacker Kris Frost. Incoming freshman Byron Cowart brings outsized expectations with him as well.

But the Tigers hope a renewed physical attitude couples with upgraded defensive personnel to produce better results.

Partially at Muschamp’s behest, it seems, Auburn endured the most physical spring practices of coach Gus Malzahn’s college career, the coach told AL.com.

“It’s probably at the top,” Malzahn said, according to AL.com. “The very first year we got back (2013) and this year were very similar as far as the physicality — and that we went live legally when we could so our guys could get our edge back and so we could tackle.”

Jones (foot surgery) and T.J. Davis (torn ACL) suffered injuries, and 10 other players missed the A-Day game.

The team’s spring sessions differed from ’14 in ways tangible and intangible, as good a signal as any that Malzahn realizes how important it is for the defense to hold its weight this season.

It’s much more difficult to evaluate football players in shorts and shells with no contact, especially if you’re not as familiar with them. So in addition to setting a tone for this season, Auburn’s physical spring must have helped Muschamp evaluate his personnel and better identify the players on whom he can depend.

“Will thought that was very important, which I do, too,” Malzahn said, again according to AL.com.

“I feel like we’ve made some strides from an effort and finishing standpoint, but I think we’ve practiced the right way, and I think that’s a huge part of it. We’ve had very physical practices. And I think our players have learned to practice the right way.”

Jones should be fine for the season, though Davis may or may not be a factor this fall. Two of the team’s primary defensive ends in Lawson and DaVonte Lambert continue to recover from torn ACLs, but they should be ready this fall as well.

Overall, the physical spring didn’t take much of a toll on the Tigers’ health. We’ll see in September if the team plays with more aggression, but that seems like a given with Muschamp’s presence and the desperation to improve after last year’s lackluster effort on defense.