Offensive line looking to ‘physically whoop’ opponents

[aubiefifty 18,248]

Bigger, stronger Auburn offensive line looking to ‘physically whoop’ opponents

Published: Aug. 07, 2022, 7:05 a.m.

5-7 minutes

---

Bryan Harsin understood the narrative surrounding Auburn’s offensive line when he first took over as head coach.

The group was “always under fire” after its direction under the previous coaching staff, with concerns about under-recruiting the position for several cycles and questions about overall player development up front. The numbers haven’t exactly changed, in that aspect, but with eight returning seniors (including four sixth-year players) and a redshirt junior entering his third year as a starter, there’s a certain level of confidence surrounding Auburn’s offensive line this preseason.

Read more Auburn football: Why Oregon transfer Jayson Jones reminds one veteran defender of Derrick Brown

Observation’s from Day 2 of Auburn preseason practice

Colby Wooden’s message to Auburn’s newcomers: “The honeymoon phase is over”

The experience factor is only part of the equation, though. There’s also the continuity that comes with the return of offensive line coach Will Friend for a second season, but perhaps most importantly is that the group’s overall progress from a physical development standpoint has generated optimism in the trenches for the Tigers.

“That’s the biggest thing, because you’re playing against some really good guys up front,” Harsin said. “You play the best defensive lines in the country in the SEC. So, that’s a challenge, and I think physically, we’re much better than we were a year ago. So, that will help, and I think that’s one thing about this game: We can talk about, you know, mindset, ‘Is a guy tough enough?’ and all that. If you physically can’t whoop somebody, it’s hard to say, ‘Go out there and have confidence,’ when you can’t physically whoop somebody yet.

“So, we needed to physically get ourselves better, and we did that. We’re physically better now.”

Auburn’s offensive line was good in spurts last season, and Harsin believes the unit at times showed what it was capable of. Consistency was an issue, though, especially deeper into games.

There were plenty of reasons Auburn’s offense sputtered in the second half of the season, when the Tigers finished the year on a five-game losing streak. An inability to consistently win the line of scrimmage, particularly in short-yardage situations, was one of the leading causes.

It’s why one of the program’s biggest points of emphasis this offseason revolved around the development of the offensive line in the weight room with strength and conditioning coach Jeff Pitman. Pitman, compared to the Tigers’ previous staff, places greater importance on heavy lifting as opposed to the performance-driven regimen of former strength coach Ryan Russell.

As sixth-year offensive tackle Austin Troxell, who is competing for a starting spot at right tackle, explained it, Pitman and his staff’s approach in the weight room is “building that armor up” in preparation for the season. Tussling with 300-pound defensive linemen and future first-round draft picks on an every-down basis during the season can take a toll, and it’s on Pitman and his staff to have Auburn’s offensive linemen ready to take on that wear and tear—and, of course, hold their own against some of the nation’s best defenders.

“They prepare our bodies for battle every single Saturday in the SEC,” Troxell said. “And that’s really about it. It’s about mindset. If you’re strong mentally, you’re gonna be strong physically. And that’s what we’re building as a team, and specifically the offensive line.”

The result has been a group that is physically stronger, and bigger, than it has been in years past — and a unit that has seen its confidence blossom this offseason, even as a starting five still needs to be sorted out this preseason. Through the first two days of practice—in the portions that have been open to the media for viewing — the Tigers have done some mixing and matching up front, and it’ll take some time before the optimal five-man lineup can be determined, especially after a spring in which several key veterans were sidelined due to injury.

“Offensive line is looking a lot better,” edge defender Derick Hall said. “They’re in better shape, physically. Their mental state is better. They’re moving around better. Overall, they’re looking really good…. Just across the board, they’re pushing to make strides in the right direction every day.”

There’s still room to grow, of course, and the next four weeks will go a long way toward the overall outlook on the group this season. Kilian Zierer, who has emerged as the favorite to start at left tackle, believes the connection among the offensive linemen is the best it has been in his three years at Auburn, but he also acknowledged he doesn’t believe anyone has hit their ceiling yet, individually or collectively.

“As we get through these 25 practices or so, we’ll find out what we look like in pads and how physical we really are, and that will tell us more about this team,” Harsin said. “As our own O-line and D-line prepare through the fall camp, through this training camp, I mean that’s really going to be how this team goes, is upfront with those two groups.”

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.

 

great attitudes lead to success so lets hope this is their big step!