Auburn football: Offensive line currently CBS’ A-Day focus

Jordan-Hare Stadium will play host to A-Day for the first time this decade when Auburn football takes the field this Saturday for the annual spring game that COVID-19 took away from Tiger fans in 2020.

With around 40,000 fans (including yours truly and Fly War Eagle’s Mary Kate Hughes) set to occupy JHS to half-capacity, this will be the most full Jordan-Hare has been since the conclusion of the 2019 season when the Tigers knocked off Alabama in one of this century’s greatest Iron Bowl’s.

Auburn is ready for some football.

Even though it is merely an intrasquad scrimmage, the intensity will be high in Bryan Harsin’s first game roaming the sidelines as the official head coach of Auburn football.

There are several positional battles worth monitoring–most notably which young pass-catcher will break out and become Bo Nix’s top option–but CBS’ Barrett Sallee sees the offensive line as the most notable position to watch: 

"Harsin’s first year at Auburn will be wildly intriguing, and his success depends on his offensive line. The Tigers finished seventh in the SEC in sacks allowed (20) and rushing offense (162.55 yards per game), despite having an absolute baller at running back in Tank Bigsby. That was with Gus Malzahn — whose offense is predicated on the power rushing game out of the spread with tempo. Harsin has a track record of developing consistent offensive lines that set the tone. That’s going to be imperative for this year’s Tigers."

Harsin brought over Will Friend from Rocky Top to manage the front five but he also brought his old OL coach at Boise State, Brad Bedell, to work with his tight ends. Bedell’s development led to several Mountain West Conference OL studs, but Boise State Twitter wasn’t in love with his contributions.

Friend will have new additions Colby Smith and Garner Langlo joining Austin Troxell, Tashawn Manning, Alec Jackson, Kilian Zierer, Jalil Irvin, and SEC standout Nick Brahms to help fortify the pass-protection for Nix (a clear weakness in 2020) and to make life easier for Heisman hopeful Tank Bigsby.

Fly War Eagle will be covering the game every which way, and looks forward to seeing fellow Auburn football fans this Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium for the first gridiron action of 2021!