Few areas of Auburn's football team are under the microscope as much as the offensive line, which lost tackles Shon Coleman and Avery Young to the NFL Draft and is now under the management of former Penn State and Vanderbilt offensive line coach Herb Hand.
The good news (as far as continuity and talent are concerned) is that the interior of the offensive line is back, as center Austin Golson and guards Braden Smith and Alex Kozan return.
The big question about those three is how many of them will remain in those positions come fall. Rather than simply relying on an experienced interior offensive line and inexperienced tackles, Hand is rotating offensive linemen around to find an ideal starting five.
“We’ve got to figure out that part of the equation," Hand said of the offensive tackle position. "We’ve got a little bit more experience inside, which is a real positive for us. The way the tackles have responded so far and the way that they’ve played has been a positive as well."
"I’m pretty happy with where we’re at. We’ve just got to keep getting better."
Golson, who's primarily experienced at center, has been seeing time at left tackle in practice.
"He's got a lot of experience at center, so every rep he takes at left tackle, he gets more comfortable, which is big for us," Hand said.
Pushing Golson for playing time at left tackle is junior Darius James, who started two games at right tackle for Texas in 2014 before transferring to Auburn. Hand describes James as an "athletic guy who can move his feet."
While Golson has been busy with a potential position change, senior Xavier Dampeer has emerged as an option at center, as Hand said he has played at a "pretty good level" at the position this spring.
As for the other returning starters on Auburn's offensive line this spring, Kozan will likely stay put at guard, while Smith has received reps at right tackle.
Hand also revealed who else has been receiving reps at the tackle positions.
"Tyler Carr has been primarily at the right side, Bailey Sharp has been at the left side, and Jordan Diamond and Deon Mix have been really repping both sides," Hand said.
While Auburn's offensive linemen had to deal with the departure of former offensive line coach J.B. Grimes, Hand has quickly captured his players' attention and respect.
"I'm thankful for what coach J.B. Grimes has given our offensive line. I think he really helped us, but I'm also excited for Coach Hand bringing new ideas in," Kozan said. "You combine that and get better as a player."
"Coach Hand is a great guy, and I'm liking what I'm seeing from him so far," Kozan said. "He makes me want to get better as a player, and he makes our offensive line want to get better too."
The returning experience on the offensive line helps, but Hand says finding the right offensive line is a challenge that can't be solved overnight.
“The big challenge now is saying, ‘What’s going to be the best mix of guys?' Who are the best five guys for us to put on the field to give us the greatest amount of success?", Hand said. "That’s what spring ball’s for, is to figure that stuff out; to figure out your combination so that once we do get into the summer, those guys can really start working together and getting used to each other."
"You like to have them in a unit so as they go through summer workouts, they’re really working together as a starting five or a second five or there might be six or seven guys you’re working into your top five guys, but they’ve got to get used to working together as well, and obviously, once we get through training camp before we open up against Clemson, we’ll have that all sorted out."
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