10th-ranked Auburn to have both a different offense and quarterback controversy, this is it.
The Tigers’ running game has evolved into a spread, and it remains uncertain whether Kodi Burns or Chris Todd will start under center. Regardless of what possible mishaps happen once the ball is snapped because of that in Saturday’s season opener against Louisiana-Monroe, at least the Tigers return the core of its offensive line to help them make something out of nothing. Auburn did bring back all five starters from last season, but sophomore right guard Chaz Ramsey won’t play Saturday because of a bad back and will be replaced by sophomore defensive line convert Byron Isom.
“The offensive line is the focal point of anything you do on offense,” coach Tommy Tuberville said. “All it takes is one missed block from one of the five guys and you’ve got problems.”
Fellow sophomores Ryan Pugh (6-foot-4, 280 pounds) and Lee Ziemba (6-8, 285) return on the line, as well as seniors Tyronne Green (6-2, 307) and Jason Bosley (6-4, 273). The only other projected move besides Isom to the offensive line Saturday is right tackle Ziemba and left tackle Pugh switching places.
The fundamental nature of the spread offense involves spreading the field horizontally using three, four and even five-receiver sets, as well as wide splits between the offensive linemen. This opens up multiple vertical gaps for both the running and passing game to exploit, as the defense is forced to spread itself thin across the field to cover everyone.
More athleticism will
likely be required of the line, and more importantly, a good chemistry among the front five.
“I think it’s overlooked a lot,” Isom said. “Me myself, when I was younger, overlooked it a lot. Knowing that it’s really important right now, things are going really good out there. We’re jelling together as a group and that’s really important for an offensive line.”
Ziemba could not agree more.
“It’s very important, especially at this time of the year is when we’re learning the new offense,” Ziemba said during preseason practice. “With us learning a new offense, we’ve got to do it on the run, just hit the ground and build as we go.”
However, Tuberville is concerned if another player has to sit out besides Ramsey.
“We’ve looked at different scenarios,” Tuberville said. “We want to have three centers. We’re moving people around just trying to find the right combination of the first two groups. We don’t have many numbers there. We didn’t bring anyone in in terms of a signee. All the guys that are there now have been there and have played the positions they are playing so we’ve got a little experience coming out of spring practice with most of the guys.”
Considering the spread offense’s pace, however, Tuberville still worries about his line’s conditioning.
“Those are the guys who fatigue pretty quick, especially with the tempo of this offense,” he said. “The thing we want to make sure we do is have two healthy offensive lines so we can play a lot of players in the first few games of the season. As we go through the season you won’t see as much substitution because the tempo really takes something out of those guys.”
Tuberville will find out for himself Saturday.
Check out Scott Chancey’s Auburn Tugers blog at Albanyherald.com, then clock on “Sports update” icon.
