Auburn hasn’t finished in the top 10 nationally in total defense since 2007. Since then, the Tigers have hit some great peaks — a 2010 national title and a 2013 SEC championship — and some ugly lows, like a winless SEC season in 2012. Offense has been the headliner on the better of those teams, especially since Gus Malzahn became offensive coordinator in 2009.

Do you remember who was running Auburn’s defense the last time the Tigers finished in the top 10? Of course you do: it was their current DC, Will Muschamp, before his stints at Texas and as Florida’s head coach.

Coach Boom is back on the Plains, pairing up with Malzahn to form GusChamp or whatever you want to call their union. With his arrival, expectations are significantly raised; after all, Muschamp helmed four straight top-15 defenses at Florida from 2011-14, and the year before that had Texas defenses that ranked No. 3 and No. 6 in 2009-10, respectively.

What can we really expect from the Tigers defense this year after finishing No. 9 in the SEC in total defense last fall?

Pass defense

Last year: 230.1 yards per game (12th in SEC), 57.7 completion percentage (10th), 22 touchdowns (t13th), 22 interceptions (t1st), 21 sacks (11th)

Auburn’s pass defense a year ago would have looked quite a bit worse if it weren’t a turnover-forcing machine. The Tigers tied for fifth in the nation in interceptions, preventing quite a few big plays and chunks of yardage. Half of those picks were lost to graduation, and Auburn’s depth in the secondary is going to be a serious issue. Outside of the very strong starting group — corners Jonathan Jones and Joshua Holsey and safeties Tray Matthews and Rudy Ford — there are inexperienced players and walk-ons alike dotting the two-deep, which could present a major issue. However, adding a player like Michigan cornerback transfer Blake Countess was a major pickup that should improve the overall play of this group.

Luckily, the pass rush will be much improved. Muschamp’s defenses have typically gotten after the quarterback very well, and his multiple fronts generate plenty of pressure. With Carl Lawson back from injury and Byron Cowart added to the mix, the Tigers will have much more firepower up front.

Muschamp will also be counting on some improvement in the pass game from linebackers Cassanova McKinzy and Kris Frost, something that should give Auburn a little more versatility in who it has in coverage.

Realistic rankings expectations (SEC): 6th in pass yards per game, 5th in completion percentage, 8th in touchdowns, 6th in interceptions, 3rd in sacks

Run defense

Last year: 168.8 yards per game (10th in SEC), 4.45 yards per carry (11th), 22 touchdowns (9th), 82 tackles for loss (7th)

Auburn brings back one of the best run-stuffing linebacking duos in the conference in Frost and McKinzy, both of whom are seniors leading Muschamp’s defense. Both players finished in the conference’s top 20 in tackles and tackles for loss last year, but too many runs got into the final level of Auburn’s defense; defensive backs Ford and Jonathan Mincy both finished in the top 35 in tackles as well, and not because they were playing in the box all that often.

If Auburn’s offense is as good as anticipated, that will help the run defense simply through teams being forced to throw the ball. But when teams do line up to run on Auburn, will the Tigers be able to stop them?

Auburn has a player in Montravius Adams worthy of double teams, Lawson showed a knack for getting into the backfield on running plays as a freshman, Cowart comes in with a scouting report for having a nose for the ball as well. There’s also DaVonte Lambert, who stood out in his first year at Auburn last year. If those four can occupy blockers and allow Frost and McKinzy to play downfield, both could approach 100 tackles and stiffen up Auburn’s run defense.

Muschamp’s defenses finished in the top three in the conference in run defense the last three years, a strong indicator of where Auburn could be heading this year.

Realistic rankings expectations (SEC): 4th in rush yards per game, 6th in yards per carry, 5th in touchdowns, 5th in tackles for loss