AUBURN | An SEC veteran coach will take control of Auburn’s offensive line.

Bryan Harsin has hired Will Friend as offensive line coach, a source confirmed to AuburnSports.com.

Friend comes to Auburn from South Carolina where he was hired Dec. 27 after coaching at Tennessee for the last three seasons. The former Alabama offensive lineman also spent four years at Georgia from 2011-14 and three years at Colorado State as offensive coordinator and offensive line coach from 2015-17.

He has coached nine seasons under Mike Bobo at Georgia and Colorado State. Bobo was hired as Auburn’s offensive coordinator Thursday.

In 2019, junior Trey Smith was named first-team All-SEC, Wanya Morris Freshman All-American and Darnell Wright Freshman All-SEC at Tennessee. He coached four NFL draft picks at Georgia.

Friend has played a key role in signing a number of highly-rated offensive linemen including Rivals 100 Morris standout Morris and 5-star Darnell Wright in 2019, 4-star Isaiah Wynn in 2014 and 5-star John Theus in 2012.

He got his coaching start at West Alabama. He’s also worked Gardner-Webb and UAB. He was a four-year starter and two-time All-SEC offensive guard at Alabama from 1993-96.

Friend and his wife, Carrie Moon, have three children.