Depth chart analysis: Center

This is the tenth of a 24-part series that will run up to SEC Media Days detailing Auburn's depth chart heading into the 2014 season. This comes well after the Tigers concluded their 15 spring practices and includes insight from nearly every position coach on the staff.

AUBURN -- There is absolutely no question as to the pecking order at the center position for the Tigers.

Reese Dismukes returns for his fourth and final year as Auburn's starting center. He has 37 career starts, is a three-time Rimington Trophy watch list honoree and was a finalist for the award last season.

The Spanish Fort native had the position so locked down that he didn't even take half the reps in spring practice or play in the A-Day game. The coaches know what they have in Dismukes, one of the best at his position in the country and a future pro.

Xavier Dampeer was one of five early enrollees and he got a lot of reps during spring practice as the coaches developed a backup for the fall.

The Two-Deep
Reese Dismukes (6-foot-3, 295 pounds, senior)
Xavier Dampeer (6-foot-2, 296 pounds, junior)

Gus Malzahn's take
"Xavier Dampeer at center, he got a lot of reps and of course A-Day he was the guy that went with the first group so we feel like we have some depth."

POSITION ANALYSIS: QB | RB | HB | TE | SE | F | SLOT | LT | LG

Starter
It's hard to overstate how important Dismukes was a year ago and moving forward. He was unquestionably the least replaceable player on the roster last season and the offensive captain for every game.

In his final season on the Plains, Dismukes has nothing left to prove, all he needs to do is stay healthy and he'll start at least 11 games - the Samford game may see a lot of starters out of action before the Iron Bowl.

"Reese probably got 40 percent of the reps and Xavier probably got 60 percent of the reps just trying to get him ready," tight ends and special teams coach Scott Fountain said.

A Rimington Trophy finalist last year, there's a good chance Dismukes will repeat that distinction, if not win the award as the nation's top center this season.

Backup
Xavier Dampeer was a key addition to the team, even if he won't see much action this fall.

Tunde Fariyike's struggles in the shotgun were well documented and there was real concern as to what would happen if Dismukes every went down last season. If the ball couldn't be snapped correctly, the Hurry-Up, No-Huddle offense would be at a complete standstill.

Dampeer removes all concern moving forward.

"First of all, we saw the snap go back there a high percentage of the time where it's supposed to go and that's a very comforting thing," offensive line coach J.B Grimes said. "The thing that I see about him is he's a tremendously strong young man. He has great strength and the thing that I would like to see is more functional strength, and what I mean by that is to be a quicker athlete. Reese Dismukes is a tremendously strong guy but he's also a very quick guy. That combination of quickness and strength is something that we need to work on with Xavier."

Even if it's only in limited opportunities, Dampeer will be able to lower the burden on Dismukes while also preparing himself for the job in 2015.

"I think Xavier was extremely important just because he came in, A – he's a really good snapper and B – he's probably one of the strongest kids on our team," Fountain said. "Now I feel like going into the season if something happens to Reese, he can take that off of him."

Next Wave
Deon Mix has radically altered his body in the last year while redshirting. Originally projected as a guard, Mix is now working as the third center.

"You're always experimenting because not having a center's like not having a quarterback – you are in deep trouble when you don't have a center," Grimes said. "We spent a lot of time with him during the course of spring, getting him used to the snap-and-step. Going into the fall camp, I think that we'll keep him there."

Summer Arrivals
There aren't any newcomers at the center position.

Quotable
"I think the depth is better at center right now with the addition of Xavier Dampeer. I feel like he's a guy right now that can give us quality reps if we need them; I think he's an adequate backup right now with the potential to be a good starter.." – J.B. Grimes