Wesley McGriff expected to join Hugh Freeze’s staff

This will be McGriff’s third stint as a defensive assistant at Auburn after serving two different terms under Gus Malzahn.

The Crime Dog has returned.

[autotag]Wesley McGriff[/autotag], who served as co-defensive coordinator at Auburn alongside Kevin Steele in 2016, and returned as a defensive backs coach from 2019-20, is reportedly set to return to Auburn for the third time.

Jason Caldwell of Auburn Undercover reports that McGriff is expected to join Hugh Freeze’s staff as a defensive assistant. McGriff’s hire becomes the fourth outside hire that Freeze has made since being introduced as head coach on Nov. 29, joining [autotag]Jake Thornton[/autotag] (offensive line), [autotag]Jeremy Garrett[/autotag] (defensive line), and [autotag]Ben Aigamaua[/autotag] (tight ends). [autotag]Cadillac Williams[/autotag], [autotag]Zac Etheridge[/autotag], and [autotag]Christian Robinson[/autotag] have been retained from Bryan Harsin’s staff.

The Tigers improved tremendously during McGriff’s first stint at Auburn in 2016. Auburn finished top-three in the SEC in scoring defense, rushing defense, and third-down conversions. Auburn’s strong defense played a role in Auburn’s berth in the Sugar Bowl that season. Auburn allowed 19.5 points per game in 2019 with McGriff as an assistant.

McGriff returns to Auburn after spending the 2021 season at Florida, and the 2022 season at Louisville.

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