Gus Malzahn landed arguably his biggest recruit of the offseason on Friday night, and for it, Auburn’s defense in 2015 is sure to look much different.

Will Muschamp made his return to the Plains over the weekend, and with him comes a defense built upon speed, physicality and, perhaps most importantly, fundamentals.

Here’s what one former Tiger defensive back under Muschamp had to say:

Muschamp will take the Tigers back to a 4-3 from Ellis Johnson’s 4-2-5. Moreover, Muschamp brings nearly a decade’s worth of credentials having had a top-10 ranked defense in 10 of 12 years at LSU, Auburn, Texas and Florida.

It’s not a coincidence Auburn hasn’t fielded a top-25 unit since Muschamp’s tenure in 2006-07. The Tigers have ranked 60th or lower in total defense every year since.

Muschamp credited the front seven, but noted Auburn was decimated with injuries up front during 2014. His focus is laser tight, however, as he looks to turnaround the Tigers’ defense.

“It’s our job to get off the field on defense, and it’s our job to get the ball back to the offense,” an excited Muschamp said on Saturday during his introductory news conference. “That’s what we plan on doing.”

Don’t be mistaken, though. The Muschamp-Auburn marriage is different this time around. The Tigers have won two SEC championships and a national title since his departure in 2007, and are considered perennial contenders in the SEC West. Muschamp has been a head coach in the SEC — an experience he said will benefit both him and Malzahn, and an experience that has changed his perspective.

The one constant is the play on the field from Muschamp’s defenses. The game has evolved since he last roamed the sidelines at Jordan-Hare Stadium, but the foundation of his defense hasn’t.

“From the standpoint of basic fundamentals, those are never going to change,” Muschamp said. “I’m going to ask the kids everyday to play with great effort, to have a great attitude when they hit the field and to play with great energy.

“So those three things are on you as a player, and we’ll handle the execution and the other stuff as we move forward. That’s always going to be my idea defensively.”

It’s no secret that talent, along with depth, were issues Johnson’s defense could not overcome in 2014. Muschamp expects a top-tier defense nationally next season, even with the same personnel.

“We’ve been pretty good where we’ve been, but we’ve also had a bunch of good players,” Muschamp said. “That’s the bottom line, that’s what it comes down to is players.”

What Muschamp brings, and what Auburn struggled with in 2014, is the ability to make teams one-dimensional. Auburn allowed at least 120 yards rushing and 120 yards passing to five of its final seven opponents. The respected defensive mind has three keys to defense from which he believes success is derived.

“Regardless of what you’re trying to stop, you better make it one-dimensional,” Muschamp said. “The keys to everything is, number one, turnovers. Get the ball back to your offense. In our league, especially in this division, you better win on the line of scrimmage, and stay away from explosive plays. When they’re getting chunk yardage down the field, it’s hard to defend and change the vertical field position in the game.”