SPORTS

Versatile Avery Young making transition to guard

James Crepea
Montgomery Advertiser
Avery Young has moved from right tackle to right guard for Auburn.

AUBURN – At 6-foot-6 and 315 pounds, it's hard to picture Avery Young doing anything on a football field other than blocking.

The gargantuan Auburn offensive lineman is among the largest players on the entire roster, making him an ideal fit at tackle, where he started the final nine games on the right side of the Tigers' front last season.

Yet Young's skills as a blocker are so profound, he is versatile enough to be able to play inside as well. He worked at right guard during the latter half of spring practice, something he had never done before.

It ended up being time well spent, as Young has moved to right guard on what will likely be a permanent basis.

"It's just a good opportunity to get better at more than one position," Young said. "It's not that big of a difference (from tackle), just more pulling. There are a lot more big bodies in the interior line."

Young's switch came about as a result of Alex Kozan's season-ending back injury. Chad Slade moved from right to left, another position move previewed in the spring, and Young moved inside, with Patrick Miller taking over at right tackle.

Young has relied on Slade, who was held out of Tuesday's practice, for assistance on learning his new role.

"Sometimes, right before the play, I ask him what he's supposed to do," Young said, "just to make sure I've got everything right."

There's not too much Young has done wrong in his time on the field for the Tigers. He helped to pave the way for the top rushing attack in the country last season, playing exceptionally well against Texas A&M with an ankle injury, and with a broken hand during the BCS title game.

There's no hesitation to Young proclaiming his favorite part of playing guard: Pulling

"Hopefully I'll get that kill shot on somebody one day and just try to knock their helmet loose," he said. "I love it, unless we're pacing the same play like 20 times. Then I can't hardly breathe. Other than that, it feels good to do it again. I (pulled) a lot in high school."

Young did very well at blocking in space as a tackle so making the transition to an interior position is less of a challenge for him.

"At guard you pull more and pass protections are different because you're in more of a confined space instead of on an island," offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee said. "But at the same time, I know from talking with (offensive line coach) J.B. Grimes, we feel like it's easier to move from tackle to guard as opposed to guard out to tackle.

"You've got to adjust to it, but now you've got help on both sides in pass protection at guard in some cases. And he's such an athletic kid - all the pulling and running and screens, all those things we do - Avery is that guy on our O-line that could probably play all five spots from an ability standpoint."

Grimes is also of the belief that Young could play tackle, guard and center, including when his time comes to try and make it at in the NFL.

"I really believe he'll be a pro football player," Grimes said. "I think he'll play in the NFL and that'll just enhance his ability with me being able to walk in and say you know what I think this guy here can really be all three."

Not that Auburn will need him to, but could Young really play center too?

"Oh, I'm a great snapper," he said with a grin. "I already did that. I actually did that a couple of times, got a few snaps after practice."

Guards are less valuable than tackles in the NFL, but Young said he didn't have any reservations about making the move.

"I kind of looked forward to doing it, just to show that I'm versatile and am able to play all positions," he said. "I've got a year of tackle up under my belt, and we made it to the championship game, so I've got everything I could do from that position. I feel playing guard will just open up the window even more."

And to fit Young, that'll take a very big window. But he seems to fit wherever he's needed.