Defense keeping things 'simple' in bowl prep

AUBURN -- Charlie Harbison isn't going to reinvent the wheel in two weeks.

There's no need for new installations or sweeping changes to the Auburn defense in the Outback Bowl; what's done, is done.

The major overhaul under Will Muschamp will come in the offseason, but Harbison, who is serving as interim defensive coordinator for the bowl game, is keeping the elements of Ellis Johnson's 4-2-5 scheme in place against No. 18 Wisconsin.

"It's a whole lot of carryover," linebacker Kris Frost said. "It's really not much different at all, to be honest. The intensity and the urgency of practice is higher, because obviously we have a new coordinator. Just the feel of practice is quicker, more intense. But other than that, it's pretty much the same stuff. We're going into this game just polishing things up, making sure that we do everything we can to have everyone in line when it comes time to play."

Auburn (8-4) knows what to expect from Wisconsin's offense, which is led by Heisman Trophy finalist Melvin Gordon, the nation's leading running back. The Badgers are third nationally in rushing and 117th in passing.

"They're a simple offense, so you want to keep it simple," cornerback Jonathan Jones said. "It's a bowl game so you have to expect different things from them, so you want to keep it simple as you can."

Harbison's past experience as a defensive coordinator made him the obvious pick to run the unit for the bowl game. The secondary hasn't seen any changes with the safeties coach at the helm.

"He's been here, everybody knows him," cornerback Jonathan Jones said. "It's not like anything different, it's just same old, same old."

After allowing 55 points to Alabama in the Iron Bowl and an average of 39 points in its last six SEC games, Auburn wants to have much better results against the run-heavy Badgers and their interim coach Barry Alvarez.

"We're going to be more fierceful [sic], we're going to be ready for whatever comes," safety Johnathan Ford said. "We're going to execute and just make sure all our run-stops are correct and we're going to be ready for anything that comes by. We're going to be ready to stop the ball, defend passes."