Senior Nick Brahms has been Auburn football’s starting center for four of his five years on the Plains. When he announced he would be returning for a sixth year following the 2021 season, it seemed pre-determined that he would start for a fifth year in a row.
However, Brahms had minor surgery on both of his knees in June, and did not participate in the first scrimmage of fall camp last Friday. According to Justin Hokanson, Brahms’ absence from the scrimmage is a method to limit his reps during camp, but he is questionable for the Mercer game, and his situation for the rest of the season is currently hanging in the balance.
In Brahms’ place, both sixth-year senior Brandon Council and junior Tate Johnson have been taking reps and working at the center position throughout fall camp. Council told Auburn Live he has a history of playing all five positions on the line, and is capable of working at center. He also had words of praise for Johnson, calling his transformation from last season “unreal”:
"“We’re proud of him as a unit. He’s added another tool the offensive line,” Council said. “He’s gotten stronger, he’s very quick, one of the shiftiest lineman off the ball. Absolutely. We have confidence in Tate Johnson.”"
Johnson played a role for Auburn football in 2020 as the backup guard, but did not see any game action in 2021. This year could be his breakout year, however, and he was the starting center in the Tigers’ scrimmage last Friday.
Although they have struggled with injury throughout the offseason, the offensive line position group has put in a lot of work over the past year, and they expect to prove a lot of people wrong in the coming season. It seems that even if Nick Brahms is on the sidelines in September, the offensive line is ready to show out.