Auburn's defense last season was enough to keep the Tigers in games. In 2026, with a new coaching staff led by Alex Golesh, added more experience with a former defensive coordinator in Tim Banks.
The defensive coordinator at Tennessee for five seasons, Banks comes to the Plains as a co-defensive coordinator to D.J. Durkin, as well as being the primary safeties coach entering 2026. The program moved on from former specialist T.J. Rushing this offseason.
Due to the plethora of experience that Banks brings, the safety room is seeing benefits from it. Senior Champ Anthony is one of those players.
"I mean, when you get a DC, when you get a guy who was a DC, and then he has lots of safeties in the league," he said on Tuesday. "So, he understands how to view the game from a different standpoint, just like a regular safeties coach."
Banks has already spoken about the depth of his room entering the season, being able to play between four to six safeties regularly to enter the season. Anthony will headline that group, being one of three players to join Golesh in Tampa, Fla., during SEC Media Days.
Already being called "a true leader" going into his senior season, Anthony is also becoming an on-field coach from how his new position coach is helping him and the safeties understand the game better from Durkin's standpoint.
"We talk about what Coach Durk, what do you think Coach Durk is going to call, when he's going to call it," he said. "So, he's kind of turning us into coaches on the field, so we understand."
Instead of reacting when the play is being revealed, Banks is helping the group be reactionary before the play even begins.
"We have a feel," Anthony said. "We have a feel for what he's going to call, and just his understanding of offense is phenomenal. Just understanding what they can get out of formation and stuff like that, so we're hearing him talk every day, and I'm feeling good."
Auburn's pass defense allowed 229 passing yards per game last season, which was good enough for the 11th-fewest in the SEC last season. That will look to change with Durkin back in his signature role next season, and he brings another SEC mind in Banks, who has gotten the Volunteers as high as fifth in the competitive conference.
However, he's already molded a group that is expected to play with more knowledge about the opposing offenses.
"You can anticipate. If you anticipate the call, then you don't even have to worry about your job," Anthony said. You can get everybody lined up and, honestly, you can worry about what the offense is trying to do to you instead of just worrying about what you're going to do or trying to figure out what he's going to call."
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/auburn as Why Champ Anthony is Raving About New Safeties Coach Tim Banks .
