Since he took over for Jeff Lebo in March as Auburn’s new basketball coach, Tony Barbee has repeatedly said that no one will have higher expectations for this stuck-in-the-mud program than himself.

But as he displayed Monday on the SEC basketball summer teleconference, it’s even tough for him to avoid pumping the brakes on this upcoming season.

The numbers simply aren’t in Auburn’s favor.

“We’re starting over,” Barbee said. “We’re going to be young. We’ve lost 80 percent of our scoring and 80 percent of our rebounding.

“It’s going to be like molding clay. And every day is a different challenge. ... It’ll be fun and a little apprehensive at the same time.”

Barbee, though, has been nothing but upbeat about the challenge that lies ahead for Auburn, which loses four of its top five scorers from 2009-10 and will feature just three scholarship upperclassmen this season, all of whom are juniors.

“Anytime a new coach takes over there’s always a transition,” Barbee said. “You’ve got to make sure it’s a fit both ways, for the player and for myself and my staff, my system and how we’re going to do things. So I’m pleased with how the current team is shaping up.”

Three of Lebo’s more highly touted signees — G Jalen Steele (Knoxville, Tenn.), PG Anthony Salter (Tallahassee, Fla.) and F Heath Houston (Powder Springs, Ga.) — passed on an opportunity to play for Barbee. On paper, at least, Barbee replaced them with three prospects who could very well see significant minutes this season.

The Huntsville duo of Josh Langford and Luke Cothron is expected to make an immediate impact. Point guard Chris Denson (Columbus, Ga.) may not have any choice but to play considering Auburn’s lack of depth at the position.

Barbee on Monday spoke highest of Cothron, a 6-foot-9 prep-school signee who is expected to enroll in August.

“I think Luke brings a different level of talent that this program hasn’t seen in a long time,” he said. “One of those 6-8, 6-9 hybrid forwards that can score from different angles of the perimeter. He can go out to the 3-point line, is great around the basket. He’s got great feet and great hands and has a knack for rebounding. So there’s no question he’ll bring a lot to the team as a freshman.”

There’s no doubt that junior guard Frankie Sullivan will be asked to carry and lead the team at times. Barbee, who met Sullivan when he was a freshman in high school at a camp in Memphis, said he expects him to be up to the task.

“He’s one of those guys that you want your entire team to play like, with reckless abandon,” Barbee said. “A toughness that he’s not going to back down no matter who he plays against.”

One of Sullivan’s biggest strengths is defense. It’s something Barbee hopes rubs off on the rest of the team, which he considers “offensively challenged” at times.

“My philosophy has always been based around defense,” Barbee said. “That’s where we started from Day 1 when I got the job in the limited time we had with the team individual work-wise was molding the team about how we’re going to be on defense. Your offense is going to come and go, but defensively you can be consistent with that every night.”

| 737-2561