HOOVER, Ala. –In his first Southeastern Conference Media Day as a head coach, Auburn’s Gus Malzahn said he wants his offense to play faster than any other team in college football.
Malzahn, who served as Auburn’s offensive coordinator from 2009 through 2011, takes over a team that went 0-8 in the SEC last season. He said the most important change he plans to make isn’t to the tempo of his offense, but to the attitude of his football team.   
“The number one thing that our players have to do for us to be successful this year is get our edge back,” Malzahn said. “That is the mental and physical toughness, the blue-collar, hard-nosed, hit-you-in-the-mouth Auburn football that’s made Auburn great.”
On the field, Malzahn said that increase in tempo will help turn around a stagnant Tiger offense that ranked No. 116 in passing, No. 80 in rushing No. 114 in points scored.
“Our goal is to play faster than anybody in college football,” Malzahn said. “We feel like, if you can execute our offense at a fast pace, it’s a big advantage. So we’ll be striving for that.”
Malzahn said the biggest challenge his team faces offensively is the quarterback position. He said the Tigers currently have a four-way open competition for the starting job.
The quarterback position is up in the air, but Auburn does return junior running back Tre Mason who led the team with 1,002 rushing yards and eight touchdowns last season.
The Tigers also struggled on defense last season, allowing more than 28 points per game. The returning group is led by a pair of seniors in defensive end Dee Ford and defensive back Chris Davis.  
 If the offense plays as fast as Malzahn wants, it will mean the Auburn defense could spend a lot more time on the field. Ford said he doesn’t think that will expose the defense and said the unit can handle it.
“The tempo won’t hurt us because that’s how we practice,” Ford said. “We are expecting a fast offense, they are going to score fast and we are going to have to play. That is out edge, that’s how we practice it and that is how we’ll play.”
Auburn opens the season with three home games before traveling to Baton Rouge to play LSU on Sep. 21.