Although Auburn "probably" won't be making a change to its starting offensive line this weekend when it hosts Mercer, the Tigers are banking on another change to help improve the play of the unit.

Through two games, Auburn ranks tied for last in the country with 14 sacks allowed and 126th nationally in tackles for loss allowed. Auburn hopes to curb some of those issues moving forward with offensive line coach Herb Hand moving down to the sideline from his perch in the press box as he switches gameday locations with offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey.

"Herb, just being the offensive line coach, he feels strong that 'I know I could do a better job down there with the guys and the adjustments and everything that goes with it,'" Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn said. "Both those guys were on the same page, and I was too. I think it'll really help, really, in all phases."

The Tigers need it after last weekend's abysmal offensive showing on the road against defending national champion Clemson. In Auburn's 14-6 loss, it allowed 11 sacks -- one of just six instances in the FBS over the last decade that a team has allowed that many sacks.

Many of those issues continued to be from the left side of the offensive line, where Auburn is breaking in new starters Prince Tega Wanogho Jr. at left tackle and Mike Horton at left guard. Wanogho in particular struggled against Clemson, though he wasn't alone in shouldering some of the blame. Darius James also had issues at right tackle and right guard Braden Smith gave up an uncharacteristic sack as well. Quarterback Jarrett Stidham also held onto the ball for too long at times, while Auburn's receivers often struggled to create separation on routes.

"Really, we didn't execute at times," starting center Austin Golson said. "It's never as bad as it seems and it's never as good as it seems. We had some issues, obviously, but I think it was the offense as a whole. It wasn't just the O-line or the quarterbacks or the running backs or the receivers; we all had a part in it. We just have to put that behind us and move on. Our goals are still intact; we just have to find a way to get better offensively."

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Swapping positions for Hand and Lindsey is expected to help remedy at least some of those offensive woes. While some may view it as simply an aesthetic fix, Auburn needed to try something new to correct course offensively. Lindsey being in the booth, where he spent much of the last two seasons, will give him a better view of the offense as well as the opposing defense, while Hand being down on the field will allow him to get face-to-face with his offensive linemen and better make in-game adjustments.

That's something Auburn struggled to do against Clemson, with seven of those 11 sacks coming in the second half. Golson said Auburn "didn't really have" any missed assignments or communication issues up front, instead attributing the sacks to guys getting beat one-on-one, Clemson bringing extra men on blitzes or receivers failing to get open.

Hand's move to the sideline will mark the first time since he was hired at Auburn that he won't be in the coaching booth. He spent all of last season in the box, as well as the first two games this year. He previously spent time in the box during his first stint working with Malzahn, when the two were on the offensive staff at Tulsa together from 2007-08.

"I really don't know what it's going to be like because he's never been on the sideline, but I think it will be good because he can make adjustments with us in person better than on the phone," Golson said. "I think he thinks he'll be able to see better and Coach Lindsey says the same, that he'll be able to see better in the box. I know they know it's right so we'll roll with it and see how it goes."