Power of positivity: Best-case scenarios for huge Auburn season in 2018
By Rob Maxwell
Offensive line maturation
Auburn coaches could nail down the starting five on the offensive line any day. The good thing this fall (and in the spring) is that there’s been plenty of competition and offensive line coach J.B. Grimes is building depth and versatility.
This week, Grimes said this is how he sees things right now:
Left tackle: Prince Tega Wanogho
Left guard: Marquel Harrell
Center: Kaleb Kim
Right guard: Mike Horton
Right tackle: Jack Driscoll
Auburn has another five or six linemen still in contention for either a starting spot or place on the two-deep. We also could see a shift in duties as Horton has practiced some at center this fall.
Best-case scenario: Tega Wanogho learns from his ups and downs in 2017 and emerges as one of the best left tackles in the SEC. On the opposite side, Driscoll is getting rave reviews from coaches and if he’s as good as advertised, that’s a heckuva pair of bookend linemen. Harrell and Horton are about as sure things on the line as Auburn has. The wild card is Kim. If he proves to be up to the task, the Auburn offensive line once considered a big question mark could be a strength.
And that’s great news for Stidham, the passing attack and the running game.