Coaching Auburn linebackers 'a dream come true' for Travis Williams

AUBURN, Ala. — When Travis Williams first stepped in front of Auburn's linebackers — the group he is tasked with coaching on an interim basis after Ellis Johnson was fired — he didn't leave anything to chance, as he spilled out his heart to them.

"(He told us) that it was a dream come true for him," junior Kris Frost said. "You can see it each and every day that we go out there in how much intensity he puts in each and every single drill and how much focus he puts into the little things. He's made sure that we do the little things right all the time."

Williams is a well-known name to Auburn fans. He was a linebacker for the Tigers a decade ago and was selected to the All-SEC first-team after making 80 tackles in the team's undefeated 2004 season.

He's bringing that same attention to detail as he works with the group during its preparations for the Outback Bowl.

"That's really the most important thing that he's showing us lately. He's been making us get after it lately," Frost said. "We're seeing a different side to us as far as linebackers and we're enjoying it. We're having a lot more fun at practice."

After a brief pro career with the Atlanta Falcons from 2006-08, he returned to Auburn as a defensive graduate assistant from 2009-12. He left that spring to become the linebackers coach at Northern Iowa. He spent one season there before moving back to Georgia, where he became the defensive coordinator at Creekside, helping the Seminoles capture the Class AAAAA state title in 2013. In February, he joined Auburn's support staff as a defensive analyst.

For now, he's enjoying being able to take a more hands-on role. And the players feel the same way.

When asked the biggest difference between Williams and Johnson — who coached the linebackers in addition to his duties coordinating the defense — Frost said it isn't hard to tell.

Williams is a tad more fiery than his predecessor.

"More high-intensity. Really, really physical," Frost said. "His style is a lot more physical, just making sure that every single play is a physical play. (He's) really just spending extra time making sure that we spend extra time on our own, outside of the meeting room (and) off the field."

This story was originally published December 21, 2014 at 2:24 PM with the headline "Coaching Auburn linebackers 'a dream come true' for Travis Williams."