AUBURN | There’s still a long way to go in building Auburn’s 2020 offensive line.
With 11 scholarship linemen scheduled to return plus the addition of around six signees including several from junior college, there will be plenty of competition in the spring and next August.
For the returning players, however, the competition has been ongoing and only gets ramped up a little more during bowl practice.
“It's real important, and that group got extra work today,” said Auburn coach Gus Malzahn of the backup offensive line after Sunday’s opening bowl practice. “And they'll continue to do that this whole week, thinking about next year and kind of gelling and getting reps versus the defense.
“But that's huge for us. Kinda getting some extra work before we get to spring, and that was a big focus today, and it will be a big focus again tomorrow.”
Sophomore center Nick Brahms will be the Tigers’ lone returning starter along the offensive front, leaving both guard and tackle positions wide open. A few of the current second-team players that could make a push for a starting position next season include sophomores Brodarious Hamm and Tashawn Manning, and redshirt freshman Jalil Irvin.
Other backups in the mix include junior Prince Michael Sammons, sophomores Alec Jackson and Austin Troxell, redshirt freshman Kameron Stutts and true freshmen Justin Osborne, Keiondre Jones and Kamaar Bell. Troxell is coming off a second knee surgery but is expected to be cleared for spring practice. Osborne, Jones and Bell are redshirting this fall.
“The future is bright,” Brahms said. “I’m looking forward to playing with those guys. They’re super talented and next year is going to be a fun one."
Of the group, Irvin and Hamm are probably best positioned to join Brahms on the first team heading into spring. Irvin was one of the top substitutes this fall, playing both center and guard against Samford while Hamm has made a strong impression after moving from guard to right tackle.
“We're really expecting big things out of Brodarious,” Malzahn said. “And the defensive players, he gets their attention and they always comment on how strong he is and how powerful he is. And I think he's getting to a point now, he's ready to take that next step. And you can see even this season, each practice, he got better.
“And when we moved him to tackle, he really flourished out there. So I think he's set up to have a really good career.”
Auburn will continue bowl practice through Saturday before breaking for Christmas and then reporting to Tampa, Fla., Dec. 26 for the Outback Bowl. The 12th-ranked Tigers will take on No. 18 Minnesota Jan. 1 at noon CT on ESPN.
