AUBURN, Ala. -- Collectively, Auburn's defensive line starters and backups have 74 career tackles. They've tallied 2.5 collegiate quarterback sacks.

And starts? They don't have any.

"We're the unknown group," says junior Josh Weldon, the starting right tackle.

The newcomers and onetime backups alike will introduce themselves to 80,000 fans and a national TV audience (ESPN at 8 o'clock) Thursday night against Wyoming.

Auburn lost its top seven defensive linemen last season, and three were drafted by the NFL. What's left are the understudies to the understudies.

"You always want to find somewhere on the team that's kind of a weak link, and everyone's kind of posterboarded us," said junior Whit Smith, the starting left end. "You read the papers, you read the magazines, and you've got people saying, 'Ah, you're not going to be any good.' We've taken it as a personal challenge to us."

But who can blame anyone for the the skepticism? Smith is the veteran of the group, with 43 tackles in 21 games. Weldon has played 19 career games, recording one sack. Redshirt freshman end Reggie Torbor hasn't played a down.

Senior tackle Roderick Chambers has is almost considered experienced11 tackles and one sack in 32 games. He had arthoscopic surgery on his left knee Monday but is expected to play. Otherwise, redshirt freshman DeMarco McNeil, a former Alabama Mr. Football, will start.

The Tigers will be relying on a handful of newcomers for depth. Junior college transfers Alton Moore and Javor Mills both are listed as second-teamers, as is freshman tackle Marcus White. Freshmen Spencer Johnson and Bret Eddins both are running third team.

"It's been fun to watch," Tiger coach Tommy Tuberville said of the line's progression. "I think we're probably further along than what anybody would have expected."

Moore, a 6-foot-6, 240-pounder, was a two-time JUCO All-American at Southwest Mississippi Community College. Last season, he had 84 tackles, 15 sacks, 19 quarterback pressures and four blocked field goals. He returned two fumbles for touchdowns.

Mills, a 6-foot-5, 250-pounder, had 115 tackles and 22 quarterback hurries at Holmes Community College. He missed a chunk of practice because of a hernia operation in the spring.

"Javor and Alton have come in and done a great job," Weldon said. "I think both of them are athletic enough, that when they get in there, they're going to cause a lot of trouble for the opposing offense."

Chambers' status makes depth at tackle a question mark.

"Roderick Chambers is going to have to play well for us to be successful on defense," Tuberville said. "We're pretty much three-deep at defensive end. A lot of them are inexperienced. They're going to have to learn how to play major college football. But I think they will, because of the way they've practiced."

They'll have big shoes to fill. Marcus Washington was a second round pick of the NFL's Indianapolis Colts; Leonardo Carson went to San Diego, and Quinton Reese went to the Carolina Panthers in round 6. Jimmy Brumbaugh signed a free agent contract with San Francisco but was cut.

Last year, the Tigers knew exactly what they would get out of the defensive line. Now, there's the unknown group.

"We like being underdogs," Chambers said. "We're going to surprise a lot of people."