A freshman rarely gets significant playing time, if any, as an offensive lineman at a school in the Southeastern Conference. Coaches usually want the athlete to put on more healthy weight and learn behind an established line with a proven track record.

Breaking the mold requires a unique set of circumstances. Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze, offensive line coach Jake Thornton, and assistant offensive line coach Kendall Simmons coming into a situation with the Tigers offensive line going from being one of the most experienced in the country to being nearly empty required some creativity.

Auburn had seven offensive linemen in November when Freeze took over the program. He likes to carry 16 and signed nine offensive linemen with a mix of high school and transfer portal players, including a 3-star prospect from Georgia, Connor Lew.

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During Monday’s press conference, Freeze gushed when a reporter asked about Lew’s chances of contributing this season.

“I think we hit a home run with Connor Lew,” Freeze said. “Connor Lew is going to play for us as a freshman. Needs to gain some weight. Hopefully, that’ll happen in the offseason, but he’s smart, tough, and strong. Moves well. Hopefully, he — He learns the game. We’re playing him both at center and guard, and he seems to grasp it very well.”

Lew is a talented athlete who is spending time in practice working with ones and twos at center and at either guard position. While Freeze is excited about Lew, the positive energy comes with a dose of the reality of what Freeze inherited on the Plains.

“I think he’s going to be a good player, but I think it’s an indictment of where we are, truthfully,” Freeze said. “I hope that we don’t have to depend on freshmen too much longer to come in and provide significant help to us, but that’s where we are.”

Of course, it didn’t take Freeze long to use Lew’s situation as a vehicle to get into a recruiting pitch for the upcoming classes.

“It’s our recruiting pitch right now: ‘You want to start immediately helping a tradition like Auburn has get back to where it can be? We’re looking for help now.’ And that’s the case,” Freeze said. “So it’s a combination of him being a really good player and talented player, but also the lack of depth that we have there.”

Nubyjas Wilborn covers Auburn for Alabama Media Group