Auburn's Offensive Line Rebuild Requires Something Fans Don't Want to Hear

Auburn Tigers fans have been told to be patient for years, and quite frankly, I don't blame anybody who's tired of hearing it.

But when it comes to fixing Auburn's offensive line, patience might actually be what this program needs more than anything.

And I think Alex Golesh is already showing signs that he understands that.

Auburn's offensive line struggles didn't begin when Golesh arrived on campus. This has been an issue dating back multiple coaching staffs, with the Tigers repeatedly trying to address deficiencies through the transfer portal rather than consistently developing offensive linemen out of high school.

That's not to say the transfer portal can't help. It absolutely can.

But there's a difference between bringing in an experienced offensive lineman to fill a specific need and depending on transfers to rebuild nearly your entire offensive line every offseason.

Offensive line play requires chemistry, communication, and an understanding of the system. When you're constantly replacing players, you're also constantly asking those players to learn new terminology, assignments, and blocking schemes.

That's difficult to overcome in one offseason.

And that's where some of Golesh's decisions have caught my attention.

Kenneth McManus is already receiving meaningful snaps at right guard, while Wilson Zierer is another young offensive lineman Auburn is investing in for the future.

Those decisions might not immediately translate into better offensive production, but they're important if Auburn wants to establish something sustainable.

The same applies to recruiting.

Golesh has placed an emphasis on bringing in high school offensive linemen, with prospects such as Leighton von Brandt, Reed Ramsier, and Jaylen Moore representing the type of recruiting approach Auburn needs to continue pursuing.

Instead of constantly searching for another temporary solution, Auburn needs players who can spend multiple seasons learning the offense, developing physically, and eventually becoming experienced SEC starters.

But here's the difficult part.

That process takes time.

And after watching Auburn struggle offensively under Gus Malzahn, Bryan Harsin, and Hugh Freeze, I understand why fans aren't particularly interested in another rebuilding conversation.

They've heard it before.

The difference now needs to be whether Auburn is actually making the decisions necessary to fix the problem instead of simply asking everybody to wait.

I think Golesh deserves some credit for giving younger offensive linemen opportunities and prioritizing the position in recruiting.

That doesn't excuse the mistakes we're watching on Saturdays, and it certainly doesn't mean Auburn should stop trying to win right now.

But if Auburn wants to stop having this same conversation every season, somebody has to commit to building the offensive line the right way.

Golesh might finally be doing that.