Auburn Football Adjusts to Tackle Xavier Chaplin's Hearing Issues Amid Offensive Line Struggles

Auburn's football team has been struggling with offensive line penalties and sacks, largely due to left tackle Xavier Chaplin's difficulties in hearing cadence calls during games. Coach Hugh Freeze revealed that testing during the bye week uncovered hearing issues for Chaplin, which had not been accounted for earlier in the season. This hearing problem has contributed to Chaplin's multiple false starts and penalties, negatively impacting his blocking and protection performance. Freeze acknowledged the coaching staff's responsibility for not adjusting cadence strategies sooner and plans to implement silent counts and other adjustments to better support Chaplin. Despite these struggles, Freeze expressed confidence in Chaplin's abilities and determination, emphasizing that when he is properly synchronized, he performs well. Auburn aims to improve their offensive line performance as they prepare to face Georgia, with additional playing opportunities planned for backup tackle Izavion Miller.