Auburn’s offense is heading into fall camp with plenty still to sort out, even as first-year head coach Alex Golesh and plenty of analysts believe the Tigers are in position to chase their first winning season in six years.
The biggest unknowns sit right where games are often won and lost: up front, on the outside, and in the backfield. Auburn will open the season against Baylor in September, but before that comes a week of camp that should start to clarify what this offense actually looks like.
The offensive line is the first major question mark, and it has been a loud one all offseason. Golesh even said at one point that he needed prayers for the unit, though he later walked that back and said the group had frustrated him at times but was coming together well.
Still, the skepticism around Auburn is easy to understand. The Tigers lost six of the seven offensive linemen to record a start in 2025 and bring back only Kail Ellis, a true sophomore center who is not expected to play much this year.
In other words, Auburn’s trenches are brand new. If that group comes out of camp sharp, Golesh’s promised run game could be a real weapon.
If it doesn’t, the offense could get messy fast.
Receiver is another spot drawing plenty of attention, and not always for the right reasons in the eyes of Auburn fans. Outside of Bryce Cain, the room is largely built from former USF wide receivers, which has sparked real concern about how the group will hold up against SEC defenses.
That worry can’t be fully answered in camp, of course, but the Tigers’ receivers have already spent the offseason going against Auburn’s own defense and will keep doing that through fall camp. Auburn’s defense is different from what they’ll see elsewhere in the SEC - many would argue it’s better - but if this group can handle that challenge, there’s at least reason to believe it won’t be completely overwhelmed later in the year.
Then there’s the run game itself, which is supposed to be the heartbeat of Golesh’s offense. He has made it clear that Auburn is going to live and die by the rush, and that plan was built around a three-man backfield of Byrum Brown, Auburn returner Jeremiah Cobb and Baylor transfer Bryson Washington.
But Golesh recently said Washington is “not there yet” when it comes to being ready for SEC play. That matters.
Washington missed much of spring camp with an injury, so fall camp is his chance to catch up. If he can’t get there, it could throw a wrench into the Tigers’ offensive identity before the season even begins.
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Even with his experience, Washington is still being asked to show more before the staff settles on a pecking order. Auburn head coach Alex Golesh has made it clear this offseason that the backup spot is open for business, which leaves Washington in a proving-ground role as the Tigers sort out a depth chart that could keep shifting well into camp. [Read more 🡒]