AUBURN | Auburn’s offensive line struggled against California allowing 12 quarterback pressures and three sacks.
The unit will undergo a big shakeup this week with right tackle Izavion Miller injured and Dillon Wade expected to move back to left tackle.
"Too Tall tried to come back in, I think that was one of the hits Payton took right when he was throwing. He just couldn't move," said AU coach Hugh Freeze.
Miller started 13 games at right tackle last year after transferring from junior college. He started the first two games this season before suffering a hip injury early against Cal and playing just 22 snaps.
Ronan Chambers, a late addition from Akron in the transfer portal this summer, took over for Miller and played 40 snaps.
But Freeze is planning to move either Percy Lewis or Tyler Johnson, who have rotated at left tackle through the first two games, over to right tackle to shore up that side of the line.
On the left side, Freeze will likely move Wade from left guard to left tackle, where he started all 13 games last season, and move Bradyn Joiner or Tate Johnson into the starting lineup at left guard.
"Most likely we’ll have to move D-Wade to tackle this week and I’m not sure which one yet. We’ll kind of talk through that," said Freeze. "I thought Percy played his best game, that was good to see. Tyler looked like a freshman at some points. We’ll need all three of them. Chances are we’ll move one to left, one to right and the other guy is going to have to be the swing guy.
"Chambers played okay at times. In the run game he played fine. In the pass game he struggled a little bit."
On the injury front, Freeze also listed wide receiver Cam Coleman (shoulder) as questionable for New Mexico and said Keionte Scott continues to battle a hamstring injury. Coleman was injured late in the Cal game, which contributed to Payton Thorne's third interception.
Scott played just 25 snaps against Cal.
"I'm not sure on Cam. It depends on how quickly he gets a range of motion in that shoulder," said Freeze.
"It's a lot of pressure on that secondary right now. We need (Scott) desperately. I think he only played in dime situations in the second half. We really need him to play a majority of the snaps, so hopefully we can get him healthy."
Auburn (1-1) hosts New Mexico for Homecoming Saturday. Kickoff at Jordan-Hare Stadium is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN2.