Auburn coach Gus Malzahn wants to see his Tigers football team going hard the next few weeks so they’re hardened for an all-SEC season.

Malzahn said after Saturday’s scrimmage at Jordan-Hare Stadium that he intends to hold up to four scrimmages prior to the start of the conference-only season kicking off on Sept. 26 against Kentucky. Saturday was the first of those scrimmages.

“We’ve got to put the ball down and play and block and tackle and get tackled and hold onto the ball and everything that goes with it,” he said. “That’s just our philosophy. I felt like we needed to be physical and get back in the swing of things with not having spring football.”

COVID-19 prevented the typical spring practice and has presented challenges to fall practice and a revamped season.

Hear more of what Malzahn had to say below.

(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)