Nothing that will move the genitalia more than a centimeter or so. Just a good breakdown of the personnel and experience on the line. Gawd, I hope Danzey is the real deal and can put Chad "Camped Well" Slade on the bench. coppage a la pasta al.com
AUBURN, Alabama -- No matter what offensive scheme a program is running, the same mantra has always mattered. Everything starts up front of the offensive line, where Auburn has plenty of starting experience coming back, if not big-time results yet from a group that will not have a senior in 2013.
An examination of the big guys up front marks the fifth installment in a series looking at the Tigers' personnel heading into the start of spring practices on March 27. For a look at how the shift back to the hurry-up, no-huddle affects their responsibilities, check out the series AL.com published earlier this month.
BY THE NUMBERS
•Chad Slade: 22 career starts
•Reese Dismukes: 23 career starts
•Greg Robinson: 11 career starts
•Patrick Miller: 9 career starts
•Avery Young: 3 career starts
•Tunde Fariyike: 2 career starts
THE DEPARTED
•John Sullen: 24 career starts
•Christian Westerman: 1 career start
SPRING CAST
•Chad Slade, Jr.
•Reese Dismukes, Jr.
•Tunde Fariyike, Jr.
•Greg Robinson, So.
•Patrick Miller, So.
•Avery Young, So.
•Devonte Danzey, So.
•Shon Coleman, R-Fr.
•Jordan Diamond, R-Fr.
•Shane Callahan, R-Fr.
•Will Kozan, R-Fr.
•Will Adams, R-Fr.
•Robert Leff, R-Fr.
ON THE WAY
•Deon Mix, Fr.
BIGGEST RESUMES
Both Chad Slade and Reese Dismukes have started the past two years, bringing experience to an offensive line that will not have a senior in 2013. Slade's biggest asset is his versatility; In 22 career starts, Slade has played every position on the offensive line other than center, although with so many true tackles on the roster with experience, it's likely that Slade will be inside at guard. Dismukes regressed after a Freshman All-SEC season, missed a game due to injury and was plagued by off-the-field troubles that included an arrest for public intoxication a week before Auburn's season started. Both players have to get stronger and more physical at the point of attack.
FLASH OF POTENTIAL
Auburn has plenty of options on the outside, beginning with Greg Robinson, who started on the left side last year and mostly held his own, although he was pulled from the lineup for a game late in the year. Robinson's toughest matchups were against powerful types like LSU's Sam Montgomery, and another year in a collegiate strength and conditioning program, albeit a new one, should help add strength to a player who already has the athleticism and quick feet to play the left side. On the right, Avery Young and Patrick Miller shared the right side. Both bring different things to the table. Before Young got hurt, he showed great athleticism, has natural size and plays with great effort. Miller's got the right disposition -- he's got a mean streak -- but he struggled with the speed of SEC pass rushers off the edge and getting push at the point of attack on the outside.
ON THE WAY
The player to watch in the spring might be junior college transfer Devonte Danzey, who was recruited to compete immediately at guard after the losses of Sullen and Westerman. Danzey, the No. 1-rated junior college guard in the country, played a tough schedule at Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College, and he's expected to make a push immediately with three years of eligibility left. The other player to watch in the spring might be Jordan Diamond, a powerful type who made a push for playing time before shoulder surgery at the end of August ended his season.
FACTS OF LIFE
-- Auburn's returning offensive line has 70 career starts. In 2011, the Tigers had only 15 combined starts returning, and the number rose only a little to 35 in 2012.
QUOTABLE
-- "You need to be physical to play in the offensive line in this offense. You've got to be a physical guy. But you also need to be athletic and fast, because of the speed of how fast you play. I've often said that part of that is how we train those guys, how Ryan Russell down in the weight room trains these guys to play in this offense." -- J.B. Grimes, offensive line coach
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