Auburn Analyst Warns of Notable Weakness in Tigers’ 2026 Offense

The Auburn Tigers are simply looking to improve this year–after all, after five straight seasons below .500, it is hard to imagine the team getting any worse.

New head coach Alex Golesh has worked tirelessly to assemble a new offense in the wake of the mass exodus following Hugh Freeze’s firing, and he has done quite well. However, there is still one area that is concerning to Christian Clemente of AuburnUndercover: the offensive line.

“It’s a lot of USF transfers and then a bit of a hodgepodge of an offensive line,” he said. “Just three total players return from last year’s team, and they’re all second-year players who are likely in the two-deep but probably not starters. Cole Best is the only “lock” of a starter… A combo of James Madison transfer Jo Simmons and Michigan State transfer Stanton Ramil are the likely tackles, but questions surround Ramil’s health with multiple injuries previously and very limited in spring. The guard spots are still completely up in the air, to be honest.”

This is certainly not news Tiger fans want to hear, especially since the Tigers’ entire ideal offense revolves around the rushing attack, particularly via the three-headed monster of Byrum Brown, Jeremiah Cobb and Bryson Washington. The three are certainly top-of-the-line rushers, but there is only so much they can do if the offensive line is not holding up.

Last year, the Tigers’ offensive line struggled as well, though all six Tigers to record a start in the trenches last year have departed, either for the NFL Draft or to the transfer portal. This has resulted in the ‘hodgepodge’ of an offensive line, as Clemente describes it, as Golesh was forced to portal shop for offensive linemen.

However, though this issue may persist throughout the season, there are two major silver linings to keep an eye on. First, the Tiger trenches, though cobbled together, are made up of almost entirely veteran players, who should be able to mesh well together given their prior experience on different teams and in different systems.

Additionally, this issue should not persist for long, as Golesh has already gone to work in recruiting; it is, of course, better to develop an offensive lineman in-house over a few years, rather than pick up one someone else developed. The Tigers’ 2027 class currently boasts four offensive linemen, including two four-star prospects and two three-star prospects.

As it always seems to be, the offensive line will be a big question for the Tigers as they head into the season. If the line can hold up well against SEC opponents, the Tigers’ offense could be poised to go on an impressive run (no pun intended) with their high-level rushing talent. If they struggle, however, we could see a repeat of the disappointing offenses of yesteryear.

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