Sophomore Center Connor Lew Keys Auburn Tigers Success

Connor Lew is the youngest member of the Auburn Tigers' offensive line, but he might be the most important.

Auburn Tigers center Connor Lew was baptized by fire as a true freshman in 2023. / Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports

Connor Lew, the Auburn Tigers starting center, holds the success of the offense in his hands. Like most offenses, people ignore the center, due to the unglamorous nature of their job. Not to mention, the left tackle remains the star on the line, as the blindside protector and highest paid lineman in the NFL.

Yet, Lew, commands a position group, dominated by seniors all around him. Moreover, he earned the undivided trust of the coaching staff , especially Hugh Freeze. You may not hear Lew's name often during a game, but you always see his impact.

The Path

When starter Avery Jones suffered an injury, Lew made the most of the opportunity. Instead of showing nerves or anxious play. the sophomore from Kennesaw, Ga. stepped up. Playing in the SEC is rough in the trenches. 

Correspondingly, throwing into the mix as a freshman must feel like a Sisyphean task. Moreover, SEC defensive coordinators salivate at the matchup of a true freshman versus their defensive tackles. Lew stood strong, with excellent footwork and hand technique. From there, you could see improvement week in, week out. Lew finished the season as a PFF Freshman All-American.

Now, the center job is Lew's for a while.

Emerging Technical Ability

Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of Lew's play is the technical aspect. While he does not overwhelm or dominate opponents at 295 pounds, Lew blocks to the echo of the whistle. In the run game, he marries hand and feet to win the initial contact. Also, Lew uses those feet to wall off defenders, opening holes, locking on and steering the defender out of the way.

Meanwhile, versus the pass, a solid punch gets attention. Now, with a full offseason as starter, he still needs refining. First, technical acumen helps, but there must be an implementation of power. Auburn wants to run the ball. Defensive tackles flying into the backfield, alters holes and suffocates paths for running backs. Lew must finish the blocks. 

The term " throwing someone out the club" fits. Lock on to a defender and drive him far away from the play, eliminating his chance at a big play. Next, playing in the SEC, Lew must develop more of an edge, a nastiness that sets a tone. Nothing dirty but letting the defender know that he's in for a four-quarter fight. That comes with age and experience.

Overview

Connor Lew solidified himself as the leader of the Auburn offensive line. As a result, how the unit performs as one, starts with him. Auburn wants to improve upon a six-win season. With this in mind, the offense must execute. 

In 2023, the Tigers left too many points on the field late that cost them victories. That Alabama loss hangs heavy. Auburn held the ball for 27:17 in the game. Alabama took advantage of offensive faltering to wear the Tigers' defense into powder.

Hands on knees, jersey pulling, and every sign of fatigue affected the defense. The offense converted just four third downs. The Alabama defense looked fresher. Connor Lew will affect the offense, hopefully continuing for his upward trend.