Alex Golesh Felt Prayers Were Answered on Auburn Offensive Line

There has been a lot of speculation surrounding the new offensive line of the Auburn Tigers, particularly around the interview in which Alex Golesh joked that he needed prayers for the unit. On Tuesday, though, just four days into spring practice, Golesh decided it was time to put all doubt to rest.

“Man, that’s gone viral, huh?” Golesh said, via the War Report’s Mike Gittens, with a slight chuckle when asked about his prior quote. “I would tell you that the group is coming together. It’ll be really good to get Stanton Ramil back eventually. I’ve been really pleased with, for the most part, the intent, the attention to detail… Prayers answered, four days in.”

With that being said, Golesh recognizes that there is still much room for development in his new offensive line unit, particularly since many of his players in that group have never played together before.

“There’s so much going on,” Golesh said. “We went on some silent [count practice] today, getting ready for what’s coming this fall…You’re trying to learn what you’re doing, let alone preparing for a defense. Not a built-in excuse, but I’ve been pleased with how far they’ve come.”

Perhaps the hardest part for an Auburn unit composed of minimal returning Tigers is practicing against a defensive unit as strong as the one DJ Durkin is dialing up on the other side of practice. Durkin’s defenses have consistently been among the best in the nation, and Golesh has not missed how it is affecting his offensive line.

“It’s on [DJ Durkin],” Golesh said. “Like, day two, you’re getting the craziest looks you could ever get, which is part of the deal… It’s a good front they’re going against, a good linebacker group. Schematically, it’s a really tough defense to prepare for.”

Golesh’s initial quote on needing “prayers” for his offensive line came back in one of his very first press conferences, when he was faced with the dilemma of needing to put together a brand-new offensive line, since no consistent 2025 offensive line starter stuck around after Hugh Freeze was fired.

The new Tiger coach has reloaded that room quite impressively, though. He has picked up some familiar names to him, including Cole Best and Cole Skinner, while also shopping the portal for other big names, like Stanton Ramil from Michigan State, Deryc Plazz from Miami and Jacob Strand from Oregon State.

The Tigers have also been hot on the recruiting trail for offensive linemen, as they have offered and hosted several top prospects that could prove to be the future of the unit Golesh is building in 2026.

For now, though, the Tigers will continue to practice against each other as each group works to grow and develop ahead of Auburn’s season opener against Baylor in September.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, and X for the latest news