Thin is definitely not in for Auburn's offensive line in 2009. The group was asked to bulk up in the offseason to hold their own against the massive defensive lines in the SEC.

Last season, the offensive linemen were required to slim down to adapt to Tony Franklin's fast-paced, pass-oriented offense. Many of them were simply too small to handle the job of blocking strong linemen on opposing defenses. As a result, Auburn's offense struggled to put points on the scoreboard and Franklin was fired midway through the season. Now, new offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn and position coach Jeff Grimes want each lineman to be big, around the 310-pound range, and also in shape when the offense could run as many as 80 plays during a game. Just about all of Auburn's starting front five have added about 30 pounds to get to Malzahn's preferred weight, including left tackle Lee Ziemba. Ziemba has added about 28 pounds to last year's weight of 280. Lee Ziemba (Photo courtesy of autigers.com) Ziemba, who has made 25 straight starts for the Tigers, hopes his junior year is better than the frustrating year he had as a sophomore. A knee injury in early August never fully healed and affected his play throughout the season. He played through the pain and elected to wait until after the season to have surgery. The Arkansas native is now healthy after surgery in December and is ready to have a season like the one he had two years ago when he was part of the freshman All-SEC team. He believes the new offensive scheme brought in by Malzahn and the added weight to his fellow linemen will make them a much improved unit. Junior Mike Berry will likely be the starter at left guard but can also play at center if needed. Berry replaces last year's starter Tyronne Green, who is getting ready for his rookie season in the NFL. Berry is better suited for the new offense since he's more of a power run blocker than a spread guard. He'll have to be more consistent when he needs to block during passing situations. Ryan Pugh (Photo courtesy of autigers.com) Back at his natural position at center is junior Ryan Pugh. Last year, Pugh made six starts at center before moving over to right tackle. He's more comfortable at center where he can use his athleticism and experience to shine as a run blocker. Byron Isom provides extra experience on the line after starting the first seven games at right guard last year. Isom has added about 30 pounds during the offseason but still has plenty of athleticism and toughness to hold his own on the right side. Senior Andrew McCain has finally found a home at right tackle. McCain came to Auburn as a highly regarded tight end recruit but was moved to defensive tackle for a short time before moving again to offensive line. He saw action at tackle and guard in all 12 games last season. Hopefully the starting front five can stay healthy throughout the season but the physical demands of 12 games often results in nicks and bruises. Ready to provide relief if one of the starters goes down are Bart Eddins, A.J. Greene, and Jared Cooper. Eddins can either play guard or center, Greene will backup Ziemba at left tackle, and Cooper will play behind Berry at guard. Tommy Trott (Photo courtesy of autigers.com) When the offense needs a tight end and an extra blocker, Tommy Trott will be the guy. Bouncing back from a knee injury suffered in the Georgia game, Trott hopes Malzahn's offense will allow him to be on the field to make catches. If not, the senior will be counted on to create space for tailbacks. It's still unclear if senior Gabe McKenzie will return to the team after dealing with an undisclosed medical issue. If he does return, Mckenzie will have to fight for playing time since the tight end position will be rarely used. Phil Marion Next week: Defensive Line Quarterbacks and Wide Receivers Running Backs