Auburn’s offensive line

[aubiefifty 17,098]

Auburn’s offensive line has plenty of experience, and plenty to prove

By Tom Green | tgreen@al.com

5-6 minutes

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Auburn’s offensive line has been one of the biggest question marks on the team, and the group has been much maligned in recent seasons.

That was certainly the case last year, when the unit was replacing four of its five starters — and doing so without the benefit of spring practices — and had some uneven performances during the Tigers’ disappointing 6-5 campaign. With eight players who have starting experience returning to the fold this fall, though, Auburn’s offensive line is looking to change its perception when it takes the field for the first time Sept. 4 against Akron.

“We try to block out the noise,” center Nick Brahms said. “We don’t really listen to people because at the end of the day, we’re the ones on the field and we’re the ones blocking people. We’ll just do that to the best of our ability and get the job done any way we can. That’s our mindset. We’re going to be tough guys and lead this football team.”

Brahms is back for his third year as the Tigers’ starter at center, and he’s one of those eight veterans who started at least one game last season. The rest of that group includes tackles Brodarious Hamm, Austin Troxell, Alec Jackson and Brenden Coffey, as well as guards Brandon Coundil, Keiondre Jones and Tashawn Manning.

That returning experience has provided some added comfort to Auburn’s offense this fall, both for the linemen themselves and for the guys they’re tasked with blocking for.

“They’ve played with each other now, they’re experienced, and now they have a little bit of depth at the o-line position,” senior running back Shaun Shivers said. “Everybody knows they’ve been working…. Now since they’re more experienced, you can even see it out there. Even though we’re not in pads yet -- we’ve got helmets on -- but you can see it’s different, the way they’re moving and the way they’re going out there each and every play.”

Who from that group emerges as the team’s best five-man unit remains to be seen. So does where each player will ultimately line up, as Auburn plans to spend at least the beginning of fall camp cross-training its offensive linemen at various spots across the line.

“You saw it last year if an injury pops up, we want to get the best five on the field,” Brahms said. “So, if that means moving some guy to tackle from guard or from guard to tackle, that’s what we’re going to have to do. Cross-training is big for us. We did a lot of it today (Friday) and I think we’re going to continue to do that, but that’s up to the coaches, honestly. Then I think we’ll start honing in on the starting five near the end of camp or getting closer to game time.”

While Brahms, a preseason first-team All-SEC selection, is sure to remain the starter at center, someone like Council, who has starting experience at that spot and repped there last fall, could also get reps at center in fall camp. Council, who is returning from ACL and shoulder injuries that sidelined him this spring, has the versatility to play all five positions up front and could be the wild card for the Tigers’ along the offensive line. He started five games last season before his ACL tear, including four at right guard, and he opened fall camp working with the first-team offense at right guard.

Council will also see time at tackle this fall, according to head coach Bryan Harsin, as will Troxell, Coffey, Hamm, Jackson and Kilian Zierer, who is also back to full speed after an ACL injury derailed his first season on the Plains. Troxell and Hamm worked with the first-team offense during the media viewing window on the first day of practices.

“We’re going to have guys that have played at those positions that will be starting or called maybe a pecking order for practice and then we’re going to move guys around,” Harsin said. “That’s a big part of what we feel like on the O-line to develop them. Get guys in those positions and not so much solidified at that early, let them compete, let them move around a little bit and decide who those five guys are going to be because you want to get your best five on the field eventually.”

Harsin, offensive coordinator Mike Bobo and new offensive line coach Will Friend will spend the next several weeks sorting that out and determining who the best five up front are for Auburn. Regardless who the starting five will be made up of, the Tigers will assuredly be in a better spot than they were this time last year—though the group will still have plenty to prove once they hit the field.

As Brahms said Friday, though, the group has put in the requisite work throughout the offseason, and with so many veterans in the mix, they know what to expect. It’s just a matter of showing it when it matters.

“Everybody’s doing their job, everybody’s doing what they’re supposed to do this fall, and they did what they’re supposed to do this spring,” running back Tank Bigsby said. “We all work, and I love my offensive line’s work ethic. I love how they work. Hopefully it will pay off.”

[aubiefifty 17,098]

my personal opinion is with the new  strength and conditioning coaches our line will be much much better. i am betting they do not get pushed around much this season. and they have heard all the negative talk and they have something to prove.

[3rdgeneration 6,471]

There’s my boys!!! Can’t wait to see them do their thing. 

[au302 2,669]

I was watching one of the YouTube videos of the practice clips and saw a shot of Colby Smith. I was pleasantly shocked, he already physically looks ready. Thought he was a guy that would need a few years in the weight room, but he looks like he could play this year if needed. Great stuff because he might need to start next year at RT

[IronMan70 3,277]

1 hour ago, aubiefifty said:

my personal opinion is with the new  strength and conditioning coaches our line will be much much better. i am betting they do not get pushed around much this season. and they have heard all the negative talk and they have something to prove.

That is kind of how I feel too. I think they are going to be a lot more aggressive this year and a plus for the team.

[Mikey 16,777]

2 hours ago, aubiefifty said:

“You saw it last year if an injury pops up, we want to get the best five on the field,” Brahms said. “So, if that means moving some guy to tackle from guard or from guard to tackle, that’s what we’re going to have to do. Cross-training is big for us. We did a lot of it today (Friday) and I think we’re going to continue to do that, but that’s up to the coaches, honestly."

Sounds good to me. We've been told on here that moving guys around like that can't be done. Maybe a certain one of our posters should call Harsin and tell him he can't do that shifting around thing? I wonder what Coach H. would tell him?

Edited August 9, 2021 by Mikey

[bigbird 60,580]

8 hours ago, Mikey said:

 I wonder what Coach H. would tell him?

Honestly...

The lack of depth on the OL that was left behind is astonishing. It makes it necessary to play some out of position. This is not an  ideal situation but, with hard work, we'll find a way through and build it to the level that is necessary to compete each week in this league. 

-CBH

[boisnumber1 2,828]

24 minutes ago, bigbird said:

Honestly...

The lack of depth on the OL that was left behind is astonishing. It makes it necessary to play some out of position. This is not an  ideal situation but, with hard work, we'll find a way through and build it to the level that is necessary to compete each week in this league. 

-CBH

"Astonishing" was being very polite.

[Howard Roark 195]

11 hours ago, aubiefifty said:

my personal opinion is with the new  strength and conditioning coaches our line will be much much better. i am betting they do not get pushed around much this season. and they have heard all the negative talk and they have something to prove.

There was an oline thread here earlier this summer which showed numerous and critical missed assignments.  It wasn't that the players could not do the job, they did not even know their job.  If we can fix this along with better S&C, the oline might be OK this year.

Here is a link to thread I referenced.  

 

Edited August 9, 2021 by Howard Roark

[au302 2,669]

4 hours ago, bigbird said:

Honestly...

The lack of depth on the OL that was left behind is astonishing. It makes it necessary to play some out of position. This is not an  ideal situation but, with hard work, we'll find a way through and build it to the level that is necessary to compete each week in this league. 

-CBH

Tread carefully. There's going to be a few that claim that your wrong because the staff must be happy with what Gus left behind since they didn't go to the portal... 

[bigbird 60,580]

38 minutes ago, au302 said:

Tread carefully. There's going to be a few that claim that your wrong because the staff must be happy with what Gus left behind since they didn't go to the portal... 

That and we're cross training to develop more flexibility not because we don't have the depth available at those positions to train and fill in behind the starters.

[woodford 3,678]

….better be ready to block this year because I’m pretty sure Tank wants to run for 1,500 yards 

[Mikey 16,777]

10 hours ago, au302 said:

Tread carefully. There's going to be a few that claim that your wrong because the staff must be happy with what Gus left behind since they didn't go to the portal... 

I've yet to see any explanation as to why the staff felt they needed to add several transfer DB's but thought the O-line was good to go.  Are they mistaken, or is the O-line good to go?

[au302 2,669]

42 minutes ago, Mikey said:

I've yet to see any explanation as to why the staff felt they needed to add several transfer DB's but thought the O-line was good to go.  Are they mistaken, or is the O-line good to go?

I think we've all been guessing, but the latest update on the recruiting for O-line, which states that we will mix heavily with high school and the portal, makes it make more sense to me. Advance apologies for the long answer. It's going to be a numbers flux. Since Gus didn't balance this position group well, we have like 8 seniors this year. This staff needs to see who uses their extra covid year to determine what they do. For example, if Trox, Hamm, and Coffey all decide to return, we would possibly be set at tackle for next year depending on their performance. In that case, maybe they go heavier on high school guys that will need a year or so to develop. However, if none of those guys return, they may have to go heavier on the portal than we'd like because we will need guys that have already developed and can start day 1 or be very capable backups. Remember, if all the seniors leave, Smith and Zierer will be the only two true OT's on the roster.

It's not an ideal scenario by any means. There's just no way Harsin would say he is pleased with what he got. How could he? He's inherited a thin room with only like 15 scholarship players, 7 of them being seniors. He'd be crazy to be happy with that, just that they have no choice but to roll with this group so that they can plan for the future once all those seniors make their final decision. We'd be in even more hurt if they used a '22 spot to take a one or two year transfer starting this year, so maybe that's why they decided to hold off. We need every '22 spot possible for this group this coming offseason I know you hate when we squat on Gus, but I don't see how anyone could defend that roster management. Going to take a couple years at least to correct this. Of course, I very well could be completely wrong on all of this

 

[bigbird 60,580]

1 hour ago, Mikey said:

I've yet to see any explanation as to why the staff felt they needed to add several transfer DB's but thought the O-line was good to go.  Are they mistaken, or is the O-line good to go?

Yes you have, multiple times by multiple posters. You just chose to dismiss and rail against it because you didn't like that it went against your line of thinking.

[AUApostle 7,663]

7 hours ago, Mikey said:

I've yet to see any explanation as to why the staff felt they needed to add several transfer DB's but thought the O-line was good to go.  Are they mistaken, or is the O-line good to go?

There’s like 25 juco seniors is why.

[McLoofus 35,182]

6 hours ago, bigbird said:

Yes you have, multiple times by multiple posters. You just chose to dismiss and rail against it because you didn't like that it went against your line of thinking.

This exchange is the entire Mikey experience distilled down to just a few sentences.

[Mikey 16,777]

22 hours ago, bigbird said:

Yes you have, multiple times by multiple posters. You just chose to dismiss and rail against it because you didn't like that it went against your line of thinking.

This staff has proven to be very adept at working the new transfer/sign ahead rules. They got multiple DB transfers, a JUCO LB, a transfer DE and DT. On the other side of the ball they picked up a WR, a QB and a walk-on transfer RB. What is the only group didn't have a single transfer brought in? Why, that would be the O-line. If the O-line situation was as bad as some would have us believe, surely they would have landed at least one O-line guy. Common sense tells us that the coaching staff doesn't think the situation is all that bad.

17 hours ago, AUDevil said:

There’s like 25 juco seniors is why.

That wouldn't stop them from picking up some help if they thought it was needed. They haven't been shy about running guys off. They could have easily cleared out some of the O-line guys and added some new faces if they thought that was necessary. The fact that they didn't says volumes.

[Mikey 16,777]

23 hours ago, au302 said:

I think we've all been guessing, but the latest update on the recruiting for O-line, which states that we will mix heavily with high school and the portal, makes it make more sense to me. Advance apologies for the long answer. It's going to be a numbers flux. Since Gus didn't balance this position group well, we have like 8 seniors this year. This staff needs to see who uses their extra covid year to determine what they do. For example, if Trox, Hamm, and Coffey all decide to return, we would possibly be set at tackle for next year depending on their performance. In that case, maybe they go heavier on high school guys that will need a year or so to develop. However, if none of those guys return, they may have to go heavier on the portal than we'd like because we will need guys that have already developed and can start day 1 or be very capable backups. Remember, if all the seniors leave, Smith and Zierer will be the only two true OT's on the roster.

It's not an ideal scenario by any means. There's just no way Harsin would say he is pleased with what he got. How could he? He's inherited a thin room with only like 15 scholarship players, 7 of them being seniors. He'd be crazy to be happy with that, just that they have no choice but to roll with this group so that they can plan for the future once all those seniors make their final decision. We'd be in even more hurt if they used a '22 spot to take a one or two year transfer starting this year, so maybe that's why they decided to hold off. We need every '22 spot possible for this group this coming offseason I know you hate when we squat on Gus, but I don't see how anyone could defend that roster management. Going to take a couple years at least to correct this. Of course, I very well could be completely wrong on all of this

 

I appreciate the well thought out answer. I'm of the belief that were the situation terrible, some current players would have been run off and some new faces brought in. Not only were none brought in, there wasn't even the usual talk on the recruiting forum about AU pursuing O-line transfers. What little was mentioned came from posters who track the portal and wondered why we weren't seeking help there. We added transfer players to every position group except the O-line (and kickers). That cannot have been an accident.

[AUApostle 7,663]

6 hours ago, Mikey said:

That wouldn't stop them from picking up some help if they thought it was needed. They haven't been shy about running guys off. They could have easily cleared out some of the O-line guys and added some new faces if they thought that was necessary. The fact that they didn't says volumes.

2021 is not the main problem (its a problem because we don't have the elite athletes our rivals have).  It's 2022.  They would have had to have found a sub-senior tackle transfer who was SEC caliber and wants to wait a year in the transfer portal and convince him or her to play for a new SEC staff in 2022.  Tackle was covered this year...because Gus did his thing and signed a ton of people all in the same class.  Are any of them elite?  No.  Are they serviceable?  Probably, hopefully.

Edited August 11, 2021 by AUDevil

[Mikey 16,777]

17 hours ago, AUDevil said:

2021 is not the main problem (its a problem because we don't have the elite athletes our rivals have).  It's 2022.  They would have had to have found a sub-senior tackle transfer who was SEC caliber and wants to wait a year in the transfer portal and convince him or her to play for a new SEC staff in 2022.  Tackle was covered this year...because Gus did his thing and signed a ton of people all in the same class.  Are any of them elite?  No.  Are they serviceable?  Probably, hopefully.

What I'm saying is they found many transfer guys at other positions who have three and four years of eligibility left. It defies logic to think they couldn't have found similar O-line guys if they thought they needed them.