Every Monday and Thursday, Plainsman sports staffers Zach Tantillo and Nathan King will analyze an Auburn football player who has a chance to make a sizable impact on the team next season.
Today’s Fortune Teller focuses on the injury laden three- to four-man race at Auburn's biggest offensive question mark: center.
In terms of returning skill and continuity across the board, the 2018 edition of Auburn football should be listed among the leaders in not just the SEC, but the nation.
Pacing the offense is a nationally heralded quarterback in Jarrett Stidham, along with a proven group of pass catchers and a hungry stable of ball carriers. The front seven is lights out — a trio of senior linebackers and a terrifying defensive line that mixes established veterans with ravenous youngsters. An heir to the throne at kicker and a foreign phenom at punter have special teams more than content.
Much of Auburn’s ambiguity falls on the shoulders of offensive line coach J.B. Grimes, who will technically will be a “first-year” coach next season after a two-year stint on The Plains from 2013-15. Before SEC Media Days, Grimes’ main concern was the center position, which gained some clarity at Auburn’s media day in Atlanta.
“When you look at our offensive line, we're very inexperienced, but we are talented,” Malzahn said at SEC Media Days. “And (Grimes is) the perfect guy to coach that group as far as that goes."
According to Malzahn, center Kaleb Kim will be “ready to go” after suffering an undisclosed injury in spring practice. Kim will join Tucker Brown in competition for the starting center role. Once healed from his broken leg, redshirt freshman Nick Brahms should find himself in the mix as well.
"I thought Brown did a very solid job," Malzahn said. “As did Kaleb Kim. Mike Horton has done some snapping. Coach (J.B.) Grimes will have a plan for that."
When fall camp shifts into gear, time will be up for Grimes to rectify his snapping debacle. Horton will slide back to his starting role at left guard but could remain an option at center if Kim and company can’t fit to Grimes’ liking.
Grimes has already lived through that kind of nightmare scenario a few months back. Kim’s injury and Brahms’ leg left the senior Brown, who also sported a non-contact jersey at multiple spring practices, (high-ankle sprain) out to dry in the spring game. Essentially, the Tigers played musical starter in Grimes’ first practices back with the program.
"(Offensive line is) the biggest question mark on the team right now, according to everyone," Brown told Auburn Athletics in the spring. "But I feel like we can definitely take that and use that as our competitive advantage and just turn that into not being the question mark and being the biggest advantage our team has.”
In terms of being thrust into a new — or more prominent — role, Brown was no stranger. The converted tight end slid inside to center in the previous spring to add depth.
"We definitely have the talent and the ability,” Brown said. “Coach Grimes preaches on how we have the potential, but potential is only as far as you take it."
PREDICTION
Malzahn said at media days that Brahms will be limited to begin camp, meaning Kim should receive most first-team reps. Health can only improve for the rag-tag trio.
When Brahms returns however, he will look like a different player from spring ball. The 6-foot-3 redshirt freshman gained 28 pounds in the offseason (276 to 308), while Kim went from 293 to 300 flat. The former four-star Kim is the assumed starter but look for a healthy Brahms’ power to be a factor in competing with elite interior defenders every day.
Any way it’s spun (without Horton), a Tiger with no career starts will send Stidham his first snap this season.
- QB Jarrett Stidham
- QB Malik Willis
- RB JaTarvious Whitlow
- WR Ryan Davis
- WR Darius Slayton
- WR Nate Craig-Myers
- WR Devan Barrett
- OL Prince Tega Wanogho
- DT Derrick Brown
- DT Dontavius Russell
- DE Marlon Davidson
- BUCK T.D. Moultry, Big Kat Bryant
- LB Deshaun Davis
- CB Noah Igbinoghene
- CB Javaris Davis
- CB Jamel Dean
- DB Jeremiah Dinson
- K Anders Carlson
- P Arryn Siposs
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Nathan King, senior in journalism with a minor in business, is The Plainsman's sports editor.
