replacing 4 starters on offensive line

[aubiefifty 16,755]

How will Auburn replace 4 senior starters on offensive line this spring?

Updated Feb 23, 6:00 AM; Posted Feb 23, 6:00 AM

4-5 minutes

We're taking a look at each position group as Auburn prepares to open spring practice on March 1. The fourth of a nine-part series looks at the offensive line.

Auburn, which brought in once-former assistant coach J.B. Grimes to take over the offensive line this spring, has to replace four starters from last year's unit after losing Braden Smith, Austin Golson, Casey Dunn and Darius James to graduation.

The Tigers some experienced pieces coming back, but finding the best five-man lineup will be a top priority this spring.

Projected depth chart:

-- Left tackle:

Prince Tega Wanogho Jr., redshirt junior; appeared in 14 games with seven starts at left tackle in 2017.

Bailey Sharp, redshirt junior; appeared in three games in 2017.

Austin Troxell, redshirt freshman.

-- Left guard:

Marquel Harrell, redshirt junior; appeared in 13 games with six starts at left guard in 2017.

Tyler Carr, redshirt junior; appeared in 14 games in 2017.

-- Center:

Mike Horton, redshirt junior; appeared in 12 games with seven starts at left guard in 2017.

OR

Kaleb Kim, redshirt junior; appeared in six games in 2017.

OR

Nick Brahms, redshirt freshman.

-- Right guard:

Horton, appeared in 12 games with seven starts at left guard in 2017.

OR

Brodarious Hamm, redshirt freshman.

-- Right tackle:

Calvin Ashley, redshirt freshman.

Prince Michael Sammons, redshirt sophomore; appeared in one game in 2017.

Departed: Braden Smith, started all 14 games at right guard; Casey Dunn, started nine games at center and appeared in 11 total; Austin Golson, started all 14 games, with starts at center, left tackle, left guard and right tackle; Darius James, played in 13 games with 12 starts at tackle; Wilson Bell, appeared in seven games.

Due to arrive in the fall: Jalil Irvin, Kameron Stutts.

Outlook: The Tigers have to find four new starters on the offensive line from a unit that was a finalist for the Joe Moore Award last season. While the unit returns three players with starting experience last season, there could be a bit of a shakeup with those veterans up front.

Prince Tega Wanogho Jr., with a year of in-game experience now under his belt, should reclaim the starting left tackle job he held for half of last season -- at least for the spring. Redshirt junior Marquel Harrell came on strong late in 2017, starting the final five games at left guard and performing well down the stretch, which should leave him set to take hold of that position again this spring.

Center could see the biggest shakeup for Auburn following the departures of Dunn and Golson. Kaleb Kim has appeared in 10 games as a reserve center over the last two seasons, while Nick Brahms earned Auburn's Scout Player of the Year award as a freshman for his performance at the position in practice. Both are viable options to take over at the most vital position along the line, though redshirt junior Mike Horton could also earn the starting job there. Horton appeared in 12 games last season, making seven starts at left guard, but he began taking reps at center late in the season during practices and could be the Tigers' answer at the position should the team go with a player with more in-game experience, albeit not at that position.

The right side of the line needs to replace Braden Smith, a staple at right guard during his Auburn career, as well as Darius James at right tackle. If Horton doesn't earn the starting center job, he should slot in at right guard, while redshirt freshman Brodarious Hamm could earn that role if Horton does claim the job at center. Right tackle should fall to redshirt freshman Calvin Ashley, a former five-star prospect who served as the backup on the two-deep last season despite not appearing in any games.

Barring the offseason addition of a graduate transfer up front, expect the top six performers along the offensive line this spring to stick come fall camp.

[doc4aday 1,887]

I like the following:

Tackle: Prince Tega

Guard: Harrell

Center: Brahms

Guard: Horton

Tackle: Ashley

This gives us experience in most positions. I think Brahms has a ton of upside and Ashley will be all SEC soon enough. Tega & Horton could be all SEC down the road as well as Horton. I think Grimes will have them playing much better than Hand could ever get from them. Grimes is a great technician and this is what we need from an OL coach. I think you will see guys locking down positions fairly early on in spring and will carry over in the fall. We have pretty fair backups that Grimes will get the most out of.  I think our OL will become a strength fairly ea

 on in the season.

We have good size across the board with just about all being over 300 lbs. Brahms will get their by the fall I believe. I see our offense being right there near the top in all categories. We could be special in 2018 on offense. 

 

[SumterAubie 3,031]

Seems Auburn has enough bodies. Up to Grimes to weld them into a solid unit.

[Auburn2Eugene 2,317]

59 minutes ago, SumterAubie said:

Seems Auburn has enough bodies. Up to Grimes to weld them into a solid unit.

That's never been a problem for him, at least not with us. 

Getting more talent to sign up... that's an entirely different story. Hopefully he can sign us a tackle better than Bailey Sharp this go around. That isn't a knock on Sharp, he is a fine backup, but we will need to sign better quality tackles on this go around for Grimes. 

 

[AUIH1 1,515]

But Gustav rehired the greatest of all OL coaches (after he ran him off the 1st time and that OL coach can't recruit) so we are set.  No worries and Gustav is here for at least 7 more years based on his new contract.  Just trying to do this right.

 

wde

[AUsince72 11,084]

1 hour ago, AUIH1 said:

But Gustav rehired the greatest of all OL coaches (after he ran him off the 1st time and that OL coach can't recruit) so we are set.  No worries and Gustav is here for at least 7 more years based on his new contract.  Just trying to do this right.

 

wde

GET OFF MY LAWN!!!

Sorry, I just know they're coming at some point.  Couldn't resist.

[aubiefifty 16,755]

the constant bashing every single day is really getting old.

[AUpreacherman22 3,885]

5 hours ago, doc4aday said:

 

I like the following:

Tackle: Prince Tega

Guard: Harrell

Center: Brahms

Guard: Horton

Tackle: Ashley

 

I approve this message. ?

[AUsince72 11,084]

6 hours ago, doc4aday said:

I like the following:

Tackle: Prince Tega

Guard: Harrell

Center: Brahms

Guard: Horton

Tackle: Ashley

Would Ashley make a good LT?  Seems Tega struggled a bit iirc, so I'm wondering if they should be swapped.

Otherwise, solid choice IMO.

[doc4aday 1,887]

47 minutes ago, AUsince72 said:

Would Ashley make a good LT?  Seems Tega struggled a bit iirc, so I'm wondering if they should be swapped.

Otherwise, solid choice IMO.

might not be a bad idea. We cannot rule out Prince Sammons from the picture either.

[Mikey 16,576]

17 hours ago, AUIH1 said:

But Gustav rehired the greatest of all OL coaches (after he ran him off the 1st time and that OL coach can't recruit) so we are set.  No worries and Gustav is here for at least 7 more years based on his new contract.  Just trying to do this right.

 

wde

You should be happy. You have a minimum of seven years to keep on making this sort of mindless post.

[SumterAubie 3,031]

16 hours ago, aubiefifty said:

the constant bashing every single day is really getting old.

Right. Wouldn't you hate to be around that in real life? In the company of a person who finds a black lining in every silver cloud.

[kd4au 1,145]

With the players we currently have my guess at the starters would be  LT. Ashley  LG. Horton C. Kim  RG. Harrell  RT. Tega. IF we get Anderson he may start at one of the tackle spots.

[AlaskanFAN 1,665]

1st Team - Best 5

LT - Tega

LG - Harrell

C - Horton

RG - Ashley

RT - Sammons or GT 

 

2nd Team 

LT - Sharp

LG - Carr

C - Brahms

RG - Horton / Hamm

RT - Ashley

 

3rd Team

LT - Ashley gets some work with Troxell’s knee situation

LG - Irvin or Stutts

C - Kim

RG - Stutts or Irvin 

RT - Sharp gets some work due to experience 

 

[IronMan70 3,277]

After our experienced OL got pushed around by UCF in the bowl game more than I liked to see,  I'm more concerned with OL coaching.  So less experienced talent this year but more coach 'em up. 

[McLoofus 35,182]

On 2/24/2018 at 7:55 PM, AUsince72 said:

Would Ashley make a good LT?  Seems Tega struggled a bit iirc, so I'm wondering if they should be swapped.

Otherwise, solid choice IMO.

Ashley will make a good LT one day. Not sure if this is the year.

I think Tega's struggles will be significantly diminished with a little more experience. He's more than athletic enough. I think it also might have had a lot to do with Dunn taking the center job and allowing Golson to slide out. I could be wrong about that. And, of course, I think we can all agree that the entire offense was a very fluid situation for the first half of the season. Gus and Hand catch a lot of flak for the "can't figure out the best 5 until the 4th game" thing, and there might be something to that, but we had a new OC (even he changed "positions" a few games into the season) and yet another new QB. 

Sorry. Tega was a guy who had never played the position before in a less-than-stable offense still trying to figure out what it was. He may or may not have the stuff, but I think we could see a massive leap in the right direction from him this season.

[AUsince72 11,084]

1 hour ago, McLoofus said:

Ashley will make a good LT one day. Not sure if this is the year.

I think Tega's struggles will be significantly diminished with a little more experience. He's more than athletic enough. I think it also might have had a lot to do with Dunn taking the center job and allowing Golson to slide out. I could be wrong about that. And, of course, I think we can all agree that the entire offense was a very fluid situation for the first half of the season. Gus and Hand catch a lot of flak for the "can't figure out the best 5 until the 4th game" thing, and there might be something to that, but we had a new OC (even he changed "positions" a few games into the season) and yet another new QB. 

Sorry. Tega was a guy who had never played the position before in a less-than-stable offense still trying to figure out what it was. He may or may not have the stuff, but I think we could see a massive leap in the right direction from him this season.

Offensive continuity and a new (I believe better) OL coach will certainly help.  Tega has the tools, I think...he was just still raw and (almost literally) new.  Maybe this will be a lightning leap and hopefully (there's that dang word again) Gus trusts Lindsey a lot more this year.  

Stidham being able to audible out of bad calls or pending blitzes would be helpful to the Line as well....we shall see.

[McLoofus 35,182]

18 minutes ago, AUsince72 said:

Offensive continuity and a new (I believe better) OL coach will certainly help.  Tega has the tools, I think...he was just still raw and (almost literally) new.  Maybe this will be a lightning leap and hopefully (there's that dang word again) Gus trusts Lindsey a lot more this year.  

Stidham being able to audible out of bad calls or pending blitzes would be helpful to the Line as well....we shall see.

[lionheartkc 6,150]

On 2/24/2018 at 6:55 PM, AUsince72 said:

Would Ashley make a good LT?  Seems Tega struggled a bit iirc, so I'm wondering if they should be swapped.

Otherwise, solid choice IMO.

I'm hanging my hat on Grimes living up to what he showed he could do during round 1 at Auburn and molding these guys into stars. Both of them have all of the tools and then some, they just need to learn how to use those tools to their full potential. I'm hoping, by the end of the 2018 season, both are getting All SEC, if not All American talk. 

My biggest concern is more with Center. Kim was Grime's guy and Brahms has shown serious promise in practice, but neither are game proven and we've seen the difference a Center can make.

My other concern is, can they play like a unit coming out of the gate? That always concerns me when we reload the line.

[AUsince72 11,084]

52 minutes ago, lionheartkc said:

I'm hanging my hat on Grimes living up to what he showed he could do during round 1 at Auburn and molding these guys into stars. Both of them have all of the tools and then some, they just need to learn how to use those tools to their full potential. I'm hoping, by the end of the 2018 season, both are getting All SEC, if not All American talk. 

My biggest concern is more with Center. Kim was Grime's guy and Brahms has shown serious promise in practice, but neither are game proven and we've seen the difference a Center can make.

My other concern is, can they play like a unit coming out of the gate? That always concerns me when we reload the line.

Truthfully, it seems C is the all-important pos in Gus' o-line.  I think the C must be a prime communicator.  

[AlaskanFAN 1,665]

2 hours ago, AUsince72 said:

Truthfully, it seems C is the all-important pos in Gus' o-line.  I think the C must be a prime communicator.  

That’s why I think Horton moved to C

[Tiger 8,818]

IMO from a personnel standpoint our secondary and our OL will prevent us from being great just like special teams prevented us from being great this year.

That doesn't mean we can't be very good. We have a stud QB, we are dripping with talent at WR and are poised to have a D-line and crew of linebackers. But we will need to stay healthy in the secondary (when was the last time we went a whole season without a member of the secondary missing a game?) and our OL is a major question mark and rarely does a question mark at OL turn into a + rather than a -. JMO

[AUIH1 1,515]

On 2/24/2018 at 7:29 PM, aubiefifty said:

the constant bashing every single day is really getting old.

Show me on the field and I will gladly eat crow.   JB Grimes was a decent on the field coach at AU (of which there are very many decent ones) while at AU (which would include the hated Hugh Nall depending on the season when in 2004 would have been considered great by message boards (which was just as dumb as thinking we are good with JB Grimes struggling through another season as a decent coach on the field is a good hire versus thinking we have a great or promising OL coach).  But JB Grimes is an average recruiter on his best day and is a decent OL coach on his best day.  We need a coach who is a good blend of good recruiter and very good (great is not a word associated for the vast majority of coaches) coach. The problem is that Gus has no clue how to hire outside if his straight (which is too limitedly incestuous) coaching tree.

And before someone posts "what about Kevin Steele".  Kevin Steele was hired after LSU wanted to fire him after one season and to Steele's credit he has tried to continue what Will Muschamp instilled in our D (after only only season with Muschamp as DC).  Steele gets credit for (IMO) continue the Muschamp influence, but I am concerned based on critical situations that Steele is not up to the task.  I welcome to be proved wrong other than insults.

wde

 

 

[IronMan70 3,277]

9 hours ago, lionheartkc said:

I'm hanging my hat on Grimes living up to what he showed he could do during round 1 at Auburn and molding these guys into stars. Both of them have all of the tools and then some, they just need to learn how to use those tools to their full potential. I'm hoping, by the end of the 2018 season, both are getting All SEC, if not All American talk. 

My biggest concern is more with Center. Kim was Grime's guy and Brahms has shown serious promise in practice, but neither are game proven and we've seen the difference a Center can make.

My other concern is, can they play like a unit coming out of the gate? That always concerns me when we reload the line.

Same here, that is going to be the key for sure. Remember when Golson was moved out to LT for that 1 game ? He did a decent job there but the line really suffered. As soon as he moved back to OC the OL performance picked up again. Experience in calling out the blocking assignments is so important.

[aubiefifty 16,755]

4 hours ago, AUIH1 said:

Show me on the field and I will gladly eat crow.   JB Grimes was a decent on the field coach at AU (of which there are very many decent ones) while at AU (which would include the hated Hugh Nall depending on the season when in 2004 would have been considered great by message boards (which was just as dumb as thinking we are good with JB Grimes struggling through another season as a decent coach on the field is a good hire versus thinking we have a great or promising OL coach).  But JB Grimes is an average recruiter on his best day and is a decent OL coach on his best day.  We need a coach who is a good blend of good recruiter and very good (great is not a word associated for the vast majority of coaches) coach. The problem is that Gus has no clue how to hire outside if his straight (which is too limitedly incestuous) coaching tree.

And before someone posts "what about Kevin Steele".  Kevin Steele was hired after LSU wanted to fire him after one season and to Steele's credit he has tried to continue what Will Muschamp instilled in our D (after only only season with Muschamp as DC).  Steele gets credit for (IMO) continue the Muschamp influence, but I am concerned based on critical situations that Steele is not up to the task.  I welcome to be proved wrong other than insults.

wde

my statement was not aimed at just one person. it also was clearly not an insult but a statement of fact. the constant bashing does get old and several people have said as much on here.