Projected offensive line starters going into this season
It’s been a struggle. The last time Auburn felt competitive on offense was 2017. It’s now 2023. What is the reason for such an egregious stretch of pitiful offense? It has been the offensive line.
Jarrett Stidham looked like a top college quarterback in 2017, but looked pitiful in 2018 when the offensive line fell to pieces. The offense for Auburn has not looked good since. Sure, we’ve had some amazing defenses, but Bo Nix was thrown to the wolves in his freshman season and spent his career at Auburn running for his life.
Who is to blame for Auburn’s offensive line being so bad for the last five years? It is those who recruit them of course, and the buck stops at the top with the head coach. Gus Malzahn recruited somewhat well in his time at Auburn, but things went downhill in 2018 because the offensive line was gone. Malzahn attempted to get the best offensive lineman available every year, but lost out to Bama and Georgia for many of them. He had no backup plan once he missed.
Auburn barely signed anyone. Hugh Freeze signed more offensive tackles in a few weeks than Auburn had in the last 6 years. It’s been utter incompetence. I don’t even want to talk about Harsin, who may be the worst head coach and recruiter in the history of the Southeastern Conference.
Thankfully, the adult is here.
Freeze looks dumbfounded walking around fixing this roster everyday like he’s wondering what the last coaches were thinking. Competence has come to the plains, and Freeze has recruited nearly an entirely new offensive line from the portal with more likely to come. And wow, it has been a breath of fresh air. The reverend is down here working miracles, and Auburn fans can begin to get excited about the new look offensive line.
Here is a projection of potential offensive line starters for this year. Spoiler alert, though an obvious one, it’s going to be almost all transfers. Gunner Britton may have first crack at left tackle. Britton has it all, and may be Auburn’s best tackle in a long time. Transfer Avery Jones may get the start at center. Jones was one of the best pass-blocking centers in the nation last year at East Carolina.
Between him and new Freeze recruit Connor Lew, the center position is in good hands. The right guard and tackle positions are looking like Dillion Wade and Izavion Miller. Both played tackle last year at their respective schools, but one may move inside to guard this season. For this projection we will say Wade starts at right tackle and Miller at right guard.
Finally, we do project one current non transfer Tiger to start this year. That would be Jeremiah Wright at left guard. Wright is a talented player, and Auburn’s offensive line sure does project better than Tiger fans have seen in a long time.
So, to recap:
LT - Gunner Britton
LG - Jeremiah Wright
C - Avery Jones
RG - Izavion Miller
RT - Dillon Wade
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