Auburn is heading into game week with a lot still to prove up front, and that’s exactly how Alex Golesh wants it.
Back in the spring, the Tigers coach joked that he was practically praying for his offensive line because of all the new faces on that side of the ball. Now the wait is over.
Auburn will face Baylor at 2:30 p.m. Central on ABC this Saturday in Atlanta, and Golesh says the line has been pushed hard enough in camp that the only real test left is how it performs when the lights come on.
“There’s so much on those guys, and I don’t mean to sound like a broken record on it,” Golesh said of his offensive line unit. “Until you go and you line up and you go play and see how those guys respond situation to situation.
We put a lot on them. We made it really hard a week ago.
We’re continuing to make it really hard. And I think more than anything for that group, it’s still why we go a lot of good on good, a lot of ones versus twos, and twos versus ones, good on good to make sure that that group is as ready.”
That kind of pressure-cooker setup has been a central part of Auburn’s approach in camp, and both Golesh and offensive coordinator Joel Gordon have leaned into it as the line has taken shape. The expected starting five has Jo Simmons at left tackle, Jacob Strand at left guard, Cole Best at center, Cole Skinner at right guard and Stanton Ramil at right tackle, with those five getting most of the first-team work as camp winds down.
For Gordon, the key has been building chemistry not just among the starters, but with the top backups too. He said that relationship work has been one of the biggest priorities for the offense since the players arrived on campus, and he put it plainly: it starts in the middle.
In Other News...
Auburn Fans Suddenly Have A Real LSU Dilemma
LSUs push to stock its roster with former NFL players has become one of the SECs most unusual off-field flashpoints, and it has put Auburn in an awkward spot with a game still on the schedule. The conference has drawn plenty of criticism for the situation, and officials are weighing possible responses ranging from sanctions to expulsion, but nothing has been decided yet because the process is still tied up in a legal hearing.
For Auburn fans, the practical question is simpler than the politics: whether the Tigers should just play the game and move on, or let the controversy reshape how they feel about LSU altogether. A boycott does not appear to be on the table, which means Auburn is likely headed into a matchup shadowed by a bigger SEC fight that has nothing to do with the lines on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Jared Smiths Rise Could Change Auburns Biggest Defensive Question
Jared Smiths progress in Auburns fall camp has turned him into one of the more intriguing names on the defensive front, where the Tigers have been searching for more consistent pressure off the edge. Alongside DaShawn Womack, Smith has drawn notice from coaches and teammates for the way his game has taken a noticeable step forward, giving Auburn a little more shape up front as the season approaches.
For a defense that wants to be tougher to block and quicker to finish plays, that kind of rise matters. Smiths development could help answer one of Auburns biggest questions before the opener, especially if the pass rush comes together the way the staff thinks it might. The encouraging part is clear enough already, even if the full payoff still has to play out once the games begin. [Read more 🡒]
Auburns New Staff Just Sent An Early Message Before Baylor
Auburns new coaching staff spent part of the preseason trying to make the first real week feel a little less foreign. Led by Alex Golesh, the Tigers ran a mock game week ahead of the upcoming season and the opener against Baylor, using the rehearsal to get players and coaches inside the rhythm they will need once the games count.
DJ Durkin called the experience extremely valuable, especially for the way it helped everyone settle into routines and tighten communication. For a staff still building its own habits, that kind of dress rehearsal can matter just as much as any scheme work, and Auburn will find out soon enough whether the early message carried over when Baylor finally arrives. [Read more 🡒]