New year, new motto: TnTXIII

AUBURN – Prior to the start of spring practice, Gus Malzahn met with Auburn's seniors to give them "ownership" for what the team motto would be in 2014.

Gabe Wright, the flamboyant defensive tackle who sports a Grizzly Adams-like beard and has dubbed the personnel package featuring himself and 306-pound Montravius Adams as defensive end as the "rhinos," came up with TnT – Tough 'n Together. It is a merging of Malzahn's emphasis of keeping the team's tough edge and 2013's motto, Together, which was even featured on the SEC Championship rings Auburn gave out on A-Day.

Then came the influence of Malzahn, ever the button-pusher of his team's psyche, who infused a reminder of how close things were for the Tigers a year ago – just 13 seconds from defeating Florida State in the BCS National Championship and completing the greatest turnaround in American sports history.

Malzahn wanted 13 to be included and Wright suggested making it Roman numerals. The combination of Wright and Malzahn's concepts spawned Auburn's motto for 2014: TnTXIII.

"It's to remind us to stay hungry – our goal wasn't reached," Wright said. "It's a reminder how it felt when that clock hit zero."

Auburn players are wearing the motto on their sleeve, literally, with each donning an orange and blue wristband reading TnTXIII.

"This wristband, it brings something to you," Sammie Coates said. "You think about what it means, it just touch you. It makes you want to work even harder every day you look at it. You put this on, it makes you think about how close we are and we're going to finish the job."

One of the four goals Malzahn set out for spring practice was keeping the team's edge, and he felt the Tigers met all the objectives he wanted to see during spring practice.

Toughness from the offense, which Malzahn wants to be even faster in 2014, is paramount if Auburn is going to reach its ultimate goals.

"I think it really encompasses what this team is about," Alex Kozan said of the new motto, "which is coming together as a team, being there for the guy next to you and then also being the toughest guys out there."

Physicality is also a particular point of pride for the Auburn defense, which improved last season but still allowed 420.7 yards per game to finish 87th nationally.

"That's the philosophy of winning in the SEC," safety Justin Garrett said. "Whatever you do just got to get better in practice. Your steps, to coverage, to whatever you're doing, got to try to get that 13 seconds better than what you were last year."

Malzahn has spoken at length of how he wants to put the accomplishments of last year's team, the remarkable season it was and the plays that will live forever, in the past. Still, he wants the players to remember how close they were to reaching the pinnacle of the sport.

"What you do, you're always trying to be better, be 13 seconds better with everything you do, mentality-wise, preparation-wise," Malzahn said. "I think you can use that as motivation."

Like so many things the innovator of the Hurry-Up, No-Huddle offense has done on the Plains, his plan has already worked.

"It means a lot to me because it brings back memories from last year," Nick Marshall said of the wristband. "We just look at it and it makes us focus harder on what we got to do."

Running back Corey Grant was present for the senior's discussion of what the motto should be and called Wright's idea "perfect." The daily reminder of 13 put it over the top.

"Go out to practice every day hearing 13, it just makes you want to fight harder," Grant said.

Wanting to overcome the disappointment of having the national title vanish in the finish moments in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 6 is fueling "star" safety Robenson Therezie.

"Something that we had a few months ago that it was just there, and it just was gone," said Therezie, last year's Defensive MVP, of the final 13 seconds of the BCS National Championship game. "We take that in consideration with TnT … it's in our mind."

The goals are far different than a year ago when Malzahn first took over. The Tigers are not coming off a horrendous season and just looking to improve.

The bar has been set and the expectations are higher.

"It's a daily reminder of where we were last year and we don't want to feel that feeling again," Kozan said. "We realize it's an extremely hard road to get back to where we want to be, but at the same time you got to have a goal and you got to set it.

"I love this team, I love what this team's about, and everybody's really trying to attack it and get better."