• On being back at the school where he starred: "The thing is familiar faces here and the thing is that's probably most unique is that it's still a pretty place. The thing that attracted me to come to school here and now of a sudden ... looking forward now to come here coaching. You dream to play here college football but I didn't dream that it would turn into now you're coaching at your alma mater. Got a challenge ahead and now I'm looking forward to it."

• He'll coach the entire defensive line, whereas the old staff split the coaching duties among tackles and ends. Rocker's thoughts: "Everywhere I've been I've had the whole front and I just prefer the challenge to be on me. If it goes wrong, blame me, if not, I have to look over at someone else and wonder what happened. I just prefer it that way and I think it brings more camaraderie in the room. Everyone skins a cat differently. My way isn't always the right way, but that's what I prefer."

• Rocker had a head start evaluating the returning talent because he watched Auburn all year long. "Throughout my coaching career, there are certain teams you turn on to watch film, teams that get after people and play hard and have some great tradition on defense has always been Auburn. You turn on LSU, you turn on Alabama. We may be playing South Carolina that week, but I'm gonna watch some Auburn film. I'm gonna find out because that's the curiosity of watching big-time defenses."

• On DE Antonio Coleman coming back: "No. 1 it brings leadership to us defensively. When you walk into a program, you always try to find out who your leaders are, so I feel like he is going to be a leader for us defensively. The thing is, I'd like to see him make it through the whole year. That would be the No.1 goal, see if we can get him through the whole year. And playing at a high level from day one, I think he has a lot of energy, he plays hard and just watching him on film, you don't question that. It's just a matter now if he can make it down to Amen's Corner."

• He was very excited about his returning players but wondered about depth. As of now, that's his biggest concern. He didn't sound too encouraged that a freshman could step in and play right away. "You hope someone could come in and step up and play, but we all know when a young man walks in here, he's going to stare at that big, pretty stadium for about 10 days, and he's going to realize he's finally at Auburn. So we're going to have to go through that phase. Once he gets over that phase, he'll be OK. We'll see what happy."

• Some quick hitters on the incoming freshmen on the defensive line:

• Nick Fairley: "I saw Nick in high school. He was a no-brainer. Everyone knows the guy is special. He can definitely be special. He can help. But it goes back to can he handle it. It's a transition"
• Jamar Travis: "I think he has great upside. The guy is strong. He's very competitive. ... I think he has great upside early and hopefully in the future."
• Josh Jackson: "He has what I call his twitch. He has that initial twitch off the ball, and he comes from a good high school program."
• Terrence Coleman: "He's very strong for his size. I think he brings something to the table. And the thing is, a guy who you hope can help us early, but you never know."
• Nosa Eguae: "Ohhhh. Hey, that's the sleeper. I think he has great upside. I think he brings definitely a maturity. He doesn't act like the average freshman. School is very important to him. Very smart. I think he brings something a little bit more to the table as this thing goes on and as he gets older here, I think, God willing, he's going to be special."
• Dee Ford: "I think Dee Ford can play either end or outside linebacker, defensive end. I just think with a year of getting strong and learning how this thing works around here, I think he has a great future here."

• Some more on depth and an ideal rotation up front: "If you want a guy to lay it on the line every down — that's the No. 1 goal you would like to have a true eight, and have at max, 10. ... As one wears down, usually one guys peaks early and they wear down as the season goes on, and all of a sudden it's that No. 9 or tenth guy, he got a clue to what's going on, he steps in."

• Rocker has some interesting things to say about what kind of player he looks for on the defensive line. Talent is obvious, but not always No. 1. He's a big fan of how bad a guy wants to play the game (some would call it will, others, want-to). "A lot of times, it’s does he really want to play? Because football’s really hard. And two, can he play hurt. And three, what’s he trying to do? Is he just trying to say ‘I came here and went to Auburn?’ Or is he trying to be special and make Auburn special? So those are things you’re trying to look for"

• He thinks very highly of defensive linemen in general (a given, considering his history). Check out this quote: "It’s not easy to play defensive line. It’s a premium position. It’s probably the toughest position on the field and I just think sometime kids have a misconception about that position. It’s a tough position. It’s a man’s man game down there. And it’s probably one of the most demanding positions. Look at the pros now, that’s the first position. I don’t care about that quarterback, but that’s where they’re going to look to say, ‘We need people to stop folks.’ And they always go to defensive linemen."

• You want to be in Rocker's good graces on the football field? You'd better be physical and go 100 percent on every play. "A lot of them have physical abilities. I tell you one thing, there’s no excuse for effort. You can have all the tools in the world, but if you aren’t going to put forth effort, it doesn’t interest us. It’s about effort. It’s about effort here. It’s about playing hard and laying it down. That’s what this school is built on. Auburn has always been tough, because it’s Auburn. I don’t see it no other way. And that’s the way we want, not just defensive lineman, but I think every position on this field to be the same way, that we are Auburn and we’ve got something to stand for. We play with effort. Win or lose, there’s one thing you’re not going to question, and that’s effort. And that’s the goal."
  

• He deftly side-stepped a questions about James Willis leaving for Alabama: "For one, it’s surprising. And two, it’s business. I have no clue and I’m not even trying to understand it. I’m fine. There’s some things you can’t consume yourself with. I wish him good luck, but nah, I’m not consumed with that."

• And finally, his impressions of head coach Gene Chizik: "The thing I enjoy about him, is there’s no gray area here. It’s cut and dry. I think, one, it helps us as a staff and, two, it helps the players know where we all stand. It’s not that we’re floating and blowing out here in the wind, we’re standing for something. And that’s what I enjoy about him. It’s cut and dry, there’s no gray area and it’s about the players and making sure when you step out of these doors that you prepared yourself for the real world. It’s going good on that aspect. And hey, he lets my little boy run about the building, so I don’t have no complaints."