Cole Best is giving Auburn something every new offensive line wants but rarely gets this early: stability right in the middle.
As the Tigers work through the opening stretch of fall camp, there are still questions up front, especially at offensive tackle. But at center, Auburn has a veteran who already knows Alex Golesh’s system and is helping keep everything moving in the right direction. Best followed Golesh from South Florida this offseason, and that familiarity has already made him one of the most important pieces on this rebuilt line.
Starting quarterback Byrum Brown has noticed it.
"It's phenomenal," Brown said about having Best at center. "I call him Cap. I mean, he takes care of everything left, right, got the guys on one accord."
That matters even more with the pace Auburn wants to play at under Golesh. Brown said earlier this week that players need to know the offense "like the back of your hand" because of the tempo. Best has already spent multiple seasons in Golesh’s offense, so Auburn has a center who can handle the snap and also help keep the rest of the group lined up, communicating and ready to go.
Best has already seen signs of the line settling in. After Auburn’s first practice of fall camp, he said the unit needed a little time to get used to working in the summer heat before things started clicking.
"Once we kind of got that second wind, everyone kind of took a deep breath and settled in," Best said. "I thought, man, like the detail was where it needed to be."
That word - detail - keeps coming up around this team.
Golesh is pushing that standard with a roster that is still coming together, and the veteran players who came with him, including Best and Brown, are helping reinforce it. Best also pointed to the progress of Cole Skinner, Deryc Plazz, Jack Leyrer and Kenneth McManus, and said he believes the whole group is bought into what Auburn is trying to build.
There is still work to do before Week 1 against Baylor. Auburn still has to settle on its best tackle combination and keep developing depth across the line throughout the month.
But having the center position settled is a major plus for a brand-new offensive front. Best gives Brown someone he already trusts, and he gives Auburn a middle man who knows exactly what Golesh expects.
That kind of continuity could matter a lot for an offense built to move fast. Golesh has already shown what his system can do, including during his time as offensive coordinator at Tennessee, and Auburn is banking on that same tempo and familiarity to translate here. If the line does its job, the Tigers could end up with one of the most dangerous offenses in the country.
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