Competition, communication highlight Auburn's offensive line improvements this spring

AUBURN — It’s no secret that Auburn needed to dramatically improve the offensive line room during the offseason. First-year Auburn offensive line coach Jake Thornton and assistant Kendall Simmons worked hard to recruit new talent and improve the veteran presence since Thornton’s arrival.

Kameron Stutts, returning to Auburn for his sixth season, recognizes the positive moves being made.

“I think I can speak a lot from the O-line room, because we’ve meshed a lot,” Stutts said.

Stutts joins Jeremiah Wright, Tate Johnson, Jalil Irvin, Garner Langlo, Colby Smith, Cort Bradley and E.J. Harris as returning players along the offensive front. Thornton and Simmons helped add transfers Gunner Britton, Avery Jones and Dillon Wade, plus junior college signee Izavion Miller, and high school signees Bradyn Joiner, Connor Lew and Clay Wedin.

JOIN AUBURN LIVE FOR $6/MONTH RIGHT NOW AND RECEIVE ACCESS THROUGH AUGUST 31

Associate head coach and running backs coach Carnell Williams certainly sees a difference being made.

“Hats off to Coach Thornton and Coach Simmons and those guys working up front,” Williams said. “I think our O-line should be one of our strengths. They’re long, athletic, they have that chemistry already as a unit where they are playing together, feeding off each other, and I’m a firm believer when you get five group of men up front playing together, where we might be less talented, you can overcome that with chemistry.

“Those guys have had a tremendous spring picking up this new scheme, picking up things we want to do in the run game. It’s been exciting.”

Stutts specifically loves the level of communication happening among the new-look group.

“I think the communication has gotten a lot better, just meshing together and figuring out all the small things, the little details,” Stutts said. “We’ve done a really good job going in, studying, getting extra work in. Just trying to make that final jump. We’ve had the talent the whole time, we just have to get those little things right and just get that stuff down so we can really get together and be as good as I know we can be.”

Auburn has only produced one 1,000-yard rusher in the last five seasons. Tank Bigsby finished with 1,099 yards in 2021, but that’s it. And Auburn’s overall offensive production hasn’t fared any better, finishing 86h, 68th and 88th in total offense the last three seasons.

“We’ve had some struggles on offense recently, so to come out this spring and to be doing as good as we are towards the end — I know we all really want to finish and have a last good couple of practices, then going into A-Day, finish strong there,” Stutts said.

“But, it really helps going into summer with that confidence and everybody having a good feeling about it. That’ll lead on into the season and fall camp and keep it going through December and January.”

Auburn may add more offensive line in the April transfer portal, but that remains to be seen. For now, the additional bodies mixed with the returning players has seemingly produced decent competition throughout spring camp. And that competition, Stutts believes, will pay massive dividends come September.

“That’s how it should be. Iron sharpens iron, so whenever you’ve got dudes — like I said, we’ve been meshing well. Whenever you’re competing against your brother, at the end of the day it’s I’m trying to take your spot and you’re trying to take my spot. At the same time, we still go out to eat, there’s no hard feelings about anything. That’s how you breed good teams,” Stutts said.

“It’s all about the competitiveness. You’ve got to have it. I think we’ve done a really good job at that. Going in, there was no spot safe anywhere on the team because you’ve got new coaching staff, you’ve got tons of new dudes. Across the board, everybody is like that. Nobody has had any hurt feelings or anything, everybody is competing and having a good time, so it’s been really good.”

Auburn will scrimmage inside Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday, April 8 for their annual A-Day game. It will be the Tigers’ final spring practice of camp.