Gene Chizik revealed a two-deep depth chart for the offensive line after practice on Sunday and showed that Auburn is not afraid of its plethora of youth.
In fact, the team means to embrace it.
Redshirt freshman Greg Robinson and true freshman Avery Young will start at left and right tackles, respectively.
This is an especially risky move considering two players that have never started at the college level will be responsible for holding the ends and, in Robinson's case, protecting the quarterback's blind side.
The most experience for the Tigers will lie on the interior of the line.
Senior John Sullen and sophomore Chad Slade will start at guard and will provide the experience necessary to help sophomore Tunde Fariyike make his first start this Saturday in the season opener against Clemson.
"Chad's played a lot of football even though he's still young, John's a senior so he's played a lot of football, so again in terms of communication that has to go up and down the line, those two guys are great communicators, not just for the center but the tackles as well," Chizik said.
Fariyike will fill in for suspended All-American sophomore Reese Dismukes, however, Chizik said he has not made a decision on the length of Dismukes's supension.
Redshirt freshman Shon Coleman will be the backup at left tackle.
Freshman Alex Kozan and redshirt freshman Christian Westerman will be the backups at guard and John Sullen will take over center in the case that Fariyike is injured before Dismukes returns.
The line is young and inexperienced from first-string to second, but so far the team has been impressed with the underclassmen.
Sullen had particularly high praise for Young, who Sullen said "moves like a defensive end."
"His technique is levels above where a freshman should be," Sullen said.
Robinson has also impressed with his play in practice and was locked in to start at left tackle seemingly from the first week.
Earlier in fall practices, the coaches had moved players around on the line to see where they fit the best.
Now, Chizik beleives he's found the right formula and wants his team to stick with it.
"Over the course of the last three practices or so we've really tried to zero in on keeping guys stationary in their places," Chizik said.
This week, the Tigers will attempt to hold the line against Clemson who, according to Fariyike, plays more on reads than sheer speed and athleticism.
"They're not really a 'fire up the field' type," Fariyike said. "Our defensive line really gets up field, so it's just a little bit of an adjustment there."
Chizik said the rest of the two-deep depth chart will be unveiled on Tuesday, Aug. 28.
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