Will Muschamp embracing return to defensive coordinator role with Auburn

Auburn defensive coordinator Will Muschamp appears satisfied with a return to the same role he most famously held for three seasons in Texas, after an uneven run as Florida's head coach.

"It's not just about being the head coach," Muschamp, Auburn's newest defensive coordinator, said, according to Greg Ostendor of ESPN. "It's about being somewhere where you know that you're going to get the support, the resources and the finances you need to have to be successful and to win championships."

The highly praised Muschamp left Texas in 2010 for the Gators, despite being tabbed as the successor to long-time Longhorns coach Mack Brown.

After an 11-2 record in his second season there in 2012, things quickly went downhill in Gainesville, with the Gators dropping to an abysmal 4-8 the following year.

After leading the squad to a more respectful 6-5 mark last season, Muschamp was dumped prior to the Birmingham Bowl game, which the Gators managed to win behind interim coach D.J. Durkin.

Now manning the defense for a College Football Playoff contender in Auburn, the Rome, Ga., native seems re-energized, with an impressive salary to boot.

Muschamp is set to make $1.6 million per year, which is more than what 63 FBS coaches made last year.

"He loves it," Auburn assistant Travaris Robinson said of Muschamp. " ... He's calm. He's relaxed a little bit. He's embracing his role, and he's happy to be a defensive coordinator. I know that. He'll be ready to roll."