Kim, Driscoll have edge in OL battles
AUBURN | J.B. Grimes has his five, for now.
Auburn’s offensive line coach knows who his starters would if the season started today, but he’s not ruling out changes with 16 days before the 10th-ranked Tigers take on No. 6 Washington.
“It would be (Prince) Tega at left tackle, (Marquel) Harrell at left guard, (Kaleb) Kim at center, (Mike) Horton at right guard and (Jack) Driscoll at right tackle if we played today. But, quite honestly, we’re still a work in progress,” Grimes said.
Tega, Harrell and Horton came into fall camp as presumed starters while Kim and Driscoll have been in tight position battles. Driscoll, who is a graduate transfer from UMass with two years of eligibility remaining, currently has the edge over redshirt freshman Austin Troxell.
“My daddy said a long time ago, a blind hog will find an acorn every once in a while. Well I think we found us an acorn in that one in getting a grad transfer from UMass that probably had no stars coming out of high school,” Grimes said. “He was a 6-foot-4, 230-pound tight end that now, watching him on tape, is an SEC football player. He belongs here.
“For us to be able to get that kid with the kind of work ethic he has, the kind of professional attitude he has, the kind of intelligence he has, on top of an excellent football IQ is amazing. We’re really fortunate to have that young man on our football team right now.”
Kim split time with Horton at center last week before settling in with the first-team. The junior missed the last part of spring with an ankle injury and hasn’t been 100 percent during a good portion of camp.
Grimes praised Kim for his communication skills and doing a good job of calling out the offensive line assignments, but would like to see him be more consistent with his snaps and play more physical.
“I want to see him step up and say, ‘You know what, I belong. I’m going to play with an Auburn edge.’ And what I mean by edge, I don’t mean illegal but I mean nasty,” Grimes said. “That’s what we’ve got to get back in our offensive line. We’ve got to play with a physical, mental and effort edge.
“When people look at our film I want them to say that they play hard, they play physical. That’s what we’ve got to continue to develop.”
Kim will have to hold off a challenge from Nick Brahms as soon as the redshirt freshman is fully recovered from the broken leg he suffered in the spring, which could come at the end of this week.
“Brahms, we’re still holding but he’s starting to progress. Kim is not 100 percent, he’s just not, but he’s full speed,” Grimes explained. “We’re going to really progress Nick (Friday) and hopefully progress him more as we go. He’s got a chance to join the competition.”