Bobo wants more competition at OT

AUBURN | Auburn returns five offensive tackles with starting experience, which should lead to some good competition this spring.

So far, that hasn’t happened.

First-year offensive coordinator Mike Bobo is in the process of implementing a new offense and that learning period is taking away from the players going all out competing for spots.

“We're throwing a lot at these guys, from run game to pass game,” Bobo explained. “There are definitely things we need to work on; we need to clean up some of our sets in the pass game. We need some competition at the tackle position.”

For the first couple of weeks of spring, left tackle Alec Jackson and right tackle Brodarious Hamm have worked with the first-team while Austin Troxell and Brendan Coffey have been with the second-team. All four started at least one game last season with Jackson starting eight and Hamm eight. Both missed starts due to injuries.

Kilian Zierer is with the third-team at left tackle. Brandon Council, who started four games at guard and one at right tackle last season, is sitting out the spring recovering from a shoulder injury.

“Pretty much I just tell them you have to be able to adapt to change,” said Hamm of his advice to his teammates learning from a third offensive coordinator and third offensive line coach in the last three years.

“Just, you know, listen to what the coach is saying and try to do everything to the best of your ability because you never know when change is going to come. So just really being able to adapt to it and you should be fine.”

Hamm, however, is convinced that the experience the group earned last season and the hard work they’ve put in during the offseason and the first couple of weeks of spring drills will produce positive results.

“Definitely I feel like we've gotten better,” he said. “We still have a long way to go. But just all of us didn't play together last year, and everybody coming back, I feel like it's going to be good for us this season.”

Bobo sees the potential, but knows the group still has plenty of steps before its ready for primetime, especially when it comes to pass protection.

“We've got some guys that have got some length, but we've got to, you know, getting the guys to do the little things right,” Bobo said. “I don't think we're in a position right now to say hey, we've got competition right there. We're all trying to figure out right from left right now, and the pass sets that Coach (Will) Friend uses.

“Ultimately, we're going to create some competition and have some competition at that tackle position. But they've got to be able to protect at the tackle position, first and foremost. And that's something we'll be working on hard this spring.”

Auburn will hold its first major scrimmage Thursday afternoon. The A-Day game is scheduled for April 17.