​​Lyle's Corner

October 2018

Wednesday, October 31st, 2018

Happy Halloween, everybody! 

Two of Auburn's offensive starters are considered "day-to-day" entering Saturday's home clash with Texas A&M. Running back JaTarvious Whitlow practiced yesterday, but was limited, according to head coach Gus Malzahn. Whitlow did not practice last week as he rested an injured shoulder and leg. "He's been banged up to this point and he's been a pretty quick healer up until this point," Malzahn said. 

Whitlow has aggravated a shoulder injury twice this season, the latest in a 31-16 win at Ole Miss before the bye week. He also slowed down on his last carry in the second half with an apparent leg injury. He had the leg examined twice during the game, including once before leaving the game in the second half. Whitlow has rushed for 626 yards thus far this year. 

The Tigers plan to utilize most of their running backs should Whitlow be unable to play, including Kam and Asa Martin. "Kam Martin got a little banged up last time but it's going to be by committee," Malzahn explained. "We feel right now all of our guys can go in there and do a good job and then we can go with the hot hand." 

Malzahn also noted that injured right tackle Jack Driscoll practiced on a "limited basis" last week due to a left knee injury, and is also day-to-day. Auburn and No. 25 Texas A&M face off on Saturday at 11 a.m. CT in Jordan-Hare Stadium. The game will be televised by ESPN. 

That's all for now. Have a safe and happy Halloween! To all the trick-or-treaters, please be careful and stay safe and have fun! Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 



Sunday, October 28th, 2018

For the third straight time, Auburn will have a morning kickoff. The Tigers (5-3, 2-3 SEC) will host Texas A&M (5-3, 3-2) in Jordan-Hare Stadium this Saturday at 11 a.m. CT on ESPN. Auburn is coming off an open date, while the Aggies lost at Mississippi State last night 28-13. The Tigers are 7-0 after bye weeks under Gus Malzahn. The road team has won every match between these two teams since the Aggies joined the SEC in 2012. The Tigers won in College Station last year by a score of 42-27. 

On a personal note, I always drink a Starbucks Frappucino to perk me up during morning games. I always have plenty on hand for such circumstances. I'll be sure to grab one next Saturday. I hope you have your own beverage to keep you awake. I watched Texas A&M play Mississippi State last night, and as soon as the Bulldogs won, I figured that we would get the morning kick. 

That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 

Thursday, October 25th, 2018

Auburn basketball is down two more players due to injury. Guard Samir Doughty sustained a high-ankle sprain in practice Tuesday, joining center Austin Wiley on the injured list with hurt lower legs. Wiley is out of a protective boot after spending the past two weeks nursing the injury and is rehabilitating the sprained left ankle. Head coach Bruce Pearl said that he could miss the season opener on Nov. 6th. 

The Tigers will likely open the season with seven scohlarship players due to the injuries and Danjel Purifoy sitting out the first nine games due to NCAA suspension. "I've never been faced with it this early in the season," Pearl said today. "No, not even close." Pearl also noted that walk-on Myles Parker will likely see more playing time early in the season. "Austin is out of his boot and progressing and the timetable for his return would be similar at the beginning of the season," he stated. 

When Auburn is fully healthy, it will have only 10 scholarship players on the roster. The school hoped that signee Babatunde Akingbola would be able to re-classify from 2019 for the 2018 season, but that hasn't transpired. 

That's all for today. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 




Monday, October 22nd, 2018

Auburn will return from its bye week with a daytime kickoff against Texas A&M on November 3rd. The Tigers (5-3, 2-3 SEC) will host the Aggies (5-2, 3-1) at Jordan-Hare Stadium with either an 11 a.m. or 3 p.m. CT opening kick. The exact time will be announced after the completion of this week's games. The 11 a.m. contest would be broadcast on ESPN, while the 3 p.m. game would air on the SEC Network. 

Texas A&M at Auburn is among three matches up for the time slots. Missouri at Florida and Georgia at Kentucky are also in the running, in addition to a 2:30 p.m. CT kickoff on CBS. Auburn's game is not in the running for the doubleheader on CBS, which concludes with Alabama at LSU at 7 p.m. CT. The visiting team has never lost between Auburn and Texas A&M since the Aggies joined the SEC in 2012.  

Texas A&M is ranked No. 16 in this week's AP poll heading into a trip to Mississippi State (4-3, 1-3) this Saturday. The Aggies were off last week. Auburn, meanwhile, topped Ole Miss 31-16 in Oxford. Allow me to editorialize a bit on the Tigers' upcoming showdown with teh Aggies. I hate to cmplain, but I, for one, am getting tired of this string of morning games. Given the two possible times mentioned above, I'm keeping every finger I have crossed that we will get the latter. I'd bet many of you agree. 

That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 




Sunday, October 21st, 2018

For the first time since the last weekend in September, Auburn got to celebrate a victory for a change. The Tigers whipped Ole Miss 31-16 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford to go to 5-3 on the season, 2-3 in SEC play. It couldn't have come at a better time for the team, which has an open date coming up next Saturday. Plus, it took some of the heat off of Gus Malzahn, whom many Auburn fans have grown restless with. 

Offensively, there's not much to complain about. Auburn banged out 484 total yards (269 rushing, 215 passing). JaTarvious Whitlow gave the Rebels fits, rushing for 170 yards on 19 totes. He nearly scored a TD on a 42-yard run in the third quarter. However, in a mirror imager of the Tigers' last trip to Mississippi, he was stripped of the ball just before reaching paydirt, and it rolled forward to the end zone. However, the final result was different this time, as teammate Anthony Schwartz pounced on it for an Auburn score that put the Tigers up 24-9. Reserve back Malik Miller had six carries for 11 yards, but two short scoring runs as well. 

The passing game was solid, as Jarrett Stidham showed coolness in the pocket, going 13-of-22 for 215 yards and a touchdown. Five completions went for 20-plus yards, and Darius Slayton and Seth Williams had two such receptions apiece. Unfortunately, dropped passes continue to be a problem. The offensive line, however, did admirably well. The biggest high for the offense was not committing any turnovers. That's a major benefit, especially on the road. 

The defense wasn't half bad. Sure, the Tigers allowed 447 total yards to Ole Miss (324 passing, 123 rushing), and couldn't force any turnovers. However, Auburn did well in bottling up the Rebels' ground game, and sacked quarterback Jordan Ta'amu five times, with Nick Coe recording three, and Jamien Sherwood and Marlon Davidson each getting one. The Tigers also registered five QB hurries, with Daniel Thomas leading with two, and Coe, "Big Kat" Bryant and Andrew Williams each getting one. Auburn adapted well to the absences of two veteran members of the secondary, Jeremiah Dinson and Jamel Dean. Dean didn't make the trip to Oxford, having sustained an "upper body injury" recently, while Dinson sat out the first half per NCAA rules after being called for targeting in the second half of last week's loss to Tennessee. 

Another big plus came in holding the Rebels to just two field goals in the first half. Ole Miss didn't reach the end zone until the game's final two and a half minutes. All told, the Tigers enjoyed considerable success against an offense that entered the day averaging 41.6 points a game and 550.9 yards per game. Our special teams units had an up-and-down day, at best. Arryn Siposs continued to do his thing, averaging 44 yards on three punts. Also, Marlon Davidson blocked a field goal attempt for the third straight week. As for Anders Carlson, his kickoffs were excellent, and he hit all four PATs, but his field goal kicking still needs improvement. He made a 28-yarder, but missed on 45- and 47-yard tries. 

Generally speaking, Auburn clinched a much-needed win to snap a two-game losing skid. Winning on the road is always big. At the half, this game's outcome was still in dire straits, but the Tigers' 21-point third quarter put this one out of reach. Coach Malzahn got some pressure lifted off of his shoulders, and his team can now enjoy some much-needed rest. The Tigers will have two weeks to heal the nicks and bruises and clean up the issues in gameplay to prepare for a home clash with Texas A&M. The kickoff time and TV network for the game remain unknown. Hopefully, we'll find out those facts sooner rather than later. The road team has been the winner between the two teams every year since the Aggies joined the SEC in 2012. Let's hope the Tigers can break that pattern. 

That's all for today. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 




Friday, October 19th, 2018

ESPN's broadcast crew for Auburn's game at Ole Miss tomorrow morning has come to light. Adam Amin will handle the play-by-play, while Rod Gilmore will provide the color commentary. Quint Kessenich will be the sideline reporter. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CT at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. 

All that said, I read an article today which stated that former Auburn offensive lineman and current SEC Network analyst Cole Cubelic predicted on his Birmingham radio sports show yesterday that Gus Malzahn will be fired if the Tigers fall to Ole Miss tomorrow. Inevitably, there were mixed opinions on his prediction. Only time will tell if that comes true. I'm sure most of you remember what happened to Terry Bowden in the middle of the 1998 campaign, as well as Les Miles being forced out of LSU in 2016 after being upset by Auburn, causing the Bayou Bengals to fall to 2-2 at that point. We shall see if Gus is dealt the same fate. 

That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 




Wednesday, October 17th, 2018

Auburn basketball gained a new commitment for the Class of 2019 last night. Combo guard Tyrell "Turbo" Jones, a 6-foot-1, 170-pounder out of West Oaks Academy in Orlando, Fla., gave his pledge to the Tigers. According to the 247Sports Composite, Jones ranks as the No. 11 combo guard in the nation, and the No. 88 overall player. Jones has been high on Auburn for most of the recruiting process. Last month, Auburn was one of 12 schools he listed among his finalists.

Jones came on the scene in July on the AAU circuit playing for the Showtime Ballers. He was offered more than a dozen scholarships from Power 5 schools during that time. He averaged 19 points per game at a tournament in Kentucky in late May. On Sept. 27th, Jones narrowed his list of possible landing spots to 12 schools: Auburn, Georgia, Tennessee, Kansas State, Iowa State, Western Kentucky, Ole Miss, Clemson, Florida, Oklahoma State, Minnesota and SMU. 

Jones is the third 4-star player to pledge to the Tigers in the Class of '19, which now consists of five players: 

4-star small forward Isaac Okoro, 4-star power forward Jaylin Williams, small forward Allen Flanigan, and three-star center Babatunde Akingbola. According to the 247Sports Composite, Auburn's 2019 class ranks at No. 7 in the country and No. 3 in the SEC. 

Auburn assistant coach Wes Flanigan heavily recruited Jones. He started recruiting Jones when he was in 10th grade and the former Auburn guard was the head coach at the University of Arkansas-Little Rock. "I have a good relationship with Coach Flanigan," Jones stated in September. Jones officially visited Auburn in mid-September and also planned to visit Louisville, Georgia and Ole Miss at the time. "The atmosphere is nice and there are great people to be around," Jones said of Auburn at the time. "I like Coach Bruce Pearl. I have a good relationship with him and Wesley. They are great coaches - real great coaches." 

Jones averaged 11 points, 3.1 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.9 steals per game last season as a junior at West Oaks Academy, according to MaxPreps. He hit 39 percent of his 3-point tries and 40 percent overall. 

One final reminder: Don't forget that the football team plays at Ole Miss on Saturday at 11 a.m. CT on ESPN. 

That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 




Sunday, October 14th, 2018

Auburn came out of the gate hot yesterday, but then the flame died down. At the end of the day, Tennessee had knocked off the Tigers 30-24 at Jordan-Hare Stadium. The Volunteers hadn't beaten Auburn since shutting them out 24-0 in Knoxville on Oct. 2nd, 1999. 

The Tigers are now 4-3 on the year, 1-3 in SEC play. Amazingly, the Tiger offense rolled up 448 total yards (322 passing, 126 rushing) and got 22 first downs. On most days, those figures would give you a win. But three turnovers (two interceptions and a fumble) spelled doom for Auburn. Tennessee converted those miscues into 14 points. Jarrett Stidham spent most of the afternoon under intense pressure and was sacked three times, although he did go 28-of-45 for 322 yards and two scores. In honesty, his two picks came as a result of poor decisions in the face of pressure. When you're in trouble, you've got to either throw it away or take a sack. The biggest play on that side of the ball came on a dazzling 76-yard TD pass to Anthony Schwartz, in which Schwartz grabbed a comeback pass from Stidham, cut upfield, and dashed home untouched. That was a perfect display of his blazing speed. The score gave Auburn a 17-10 lead late in the first half. 

As for the defense, Auburn stymied the Vols' running game, allowing just 68 yards on 36 attempts. Sadly, the same certainly can't be said for defending the pass. UT quarterback Jarrett Guarantano went 21-of-32 for 328 yards and two TDs. To add insult to injury, the Tigers allowed the Vols to go 10-of-19 in third-down conversions. Seven of those conversions came on attempts of third-and-8 or longer. All told, Auburn's defense was on the field for 34:01 of game time. That's not as bad as last week's loss at Mississippi State, but still not beneficial. 

Special teams had its highs and lows. Anders Carlson was excellent on kickoffs, as usual. In field goals, he was 1-of-2, making a 20-yarder, but missing a 54-yard try. Arryn Siposs averaged 44.33 yards on three punts, pinning the Vols inside the 20 once. The highlight from the unit was Marlon Davidson's blocking a UT field goal, marking the second straight week that he accomplished that feat.

Overall, mistakes on offense, combined with the defense's failure to contain UT's passing attack, cost the Tigers a victory in this one. Auburn will have to clean up the errors in preparation for a trip to Ole Miss next Saturday at 11 a.m. on ESPN. The Rebels notched a 37-33 comeback win over Arkansas last night. Ole Miss quarterback Jordan Ta'amu showed why he's a dual threat, as he alone accounted for 528 total yards (387 passing, 141 rushing). That certainly wouldn't bode well for the Auburn secondary unless they can fix the cobwebs in a heartbeat. 

Apart from football, I'm happy to tell you that my family and I are safe after riding out Hurricane Michael last week. Thankfully, our damage was limited to primarily limbs and trees in our yard. Sadly, many in our neighborhood were not so fortunate. Simply put, most of the damage looks like a war zone. We're all pitching in to help the displaced in any way we can. The recovery process may be a tall task, but with God's guidance, we can accomplish it. He is our shelter and protector from all of life's storms...always! 

That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 




Tuesday, October 9th, 2018

Auburn linebacker Deshaun Davis, considered the leader of the Tiger defense, hasn't tested out his knee yet. However, the prognosis is encouraging after a frightening moment on the field last week at Mississippi State. Davis hurt his left knee while being rolled up stopping State QB Nick Fitzgerald along with tackle Dontavius Russell on a 4th-and-1 with 6:33 left in the contest.  

Even so, Davis seemed to be walking OK when he appeared at a press conference with reporters this morning. "I haven't really tried it out because I haven't really practiced yet," he said today. However, reports indicate that he would try to practice this afternoon. Coaches expect him to be ready for kickoff Saturday against Tennessee at Jordan-Hare Stadium. 

Davis was unable to place weight on his left leg immediately after the injury and had to be helped off the field by trainers. He immediately feared the worst for his left knee. "I didn't want to have a tear or have surgery or anything like that," he said. "I knew I had to play in that moment." The past and the future were burning on Davis' mind. 

"It was kinda scary for me because it was the same knee I had surgery on in high school," the senior said. "I tore my ACL and I knew how it bent on me was kinda awkward and I was feeling sharp pains in my knee (Saturday). I was just praying it wasn't a tear or anything like that." Davis only missed one MSU offensive series and returned to action in the game's closing minutes. His first play on the field resulted in him chasing down a running back from behind for his 10th tackle of the night. 

"I didn't know the significance of my injury until Sunday when I came back (to Auburn)," he stated. "But on the sideline he told me there wasn't any structure issues. (Dr. James Andrews) just told me to move around a little bit and see if I was ready to go. I was in pain but in a situation like that, I'm a senior linebacker, this is my last year, I know what I mean to my team. ...You best believe I was going to go out there and fight. That goes for anyone on our defense."

Head coach Gus Malzahn said Davis was expected to practice today. Malzahn further noted, "We dodged a bullet with that." Well said, Gus. Speaking of dodging a bullet, I doubt that such will be the case for me and my family as Hurricane Michael nears our neck of the woods today. If we lose power, I obviously won't be able to write again until it is restored.  I will continue to pray for everyone in the path of this vicious storm. God is my protector and comforter, and I hope He's yours as well. No storm is bigger, stronger or mightier than HE is! 

That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 

 

Monday, October 8th, 2018

If you've set your alarm clocks for Auburn's 11 a.m. CT kick against Tennessee this Saturday, good for you. And guess what? It will be deja vu all over again the Saturday after that. 

The Tigers' trip to Oxford to face Ole Miss on Oct. 20th has also been set for an 11 a.m. CT kickoff on ESPN, marking Auburn's second straight morning contest. This Saturday's game with Tennessee at Jordan-Hare Stadium will air on the SEC Network. No. 21 Auburn (4-2, 1-2 SEC) is coming off a 23-9 loss to Mississippi State in Starkville last Saturday. The Tigers fell 13 spots in the AP poll following the touchdown-free loss. 

Auburn has won four of five games over Ole Miss during Gus Malzahn's tenure, with the lone blemish coming on a 27-19 setback in 2015. The Tigers have won the last two straight, outscoring Ole Miss 84-52 in that span. I guess that morning kickoffs are a foregone conclusion when the teams in question aren't exactly having wonderful seasons. 

Moving on from football, I'd like to talk about a far more serious subject. As Hurricane Michael prepares to make landfall, my thoughts and prayers go out to everybody in the storm's path. My family and I have spent most of today making the proper preparations for it, and I hope you have, too. Allow me to write a prayer for everyone in Michael's path.

Most gracious Heavenly Father, I ask you to please watch over and protect everyone in the path of this storm, and calm its fury. If it's in your will, please spare everyone their lives, families, friends, homes and businesses. Allow them to know that they are always safe in your tender and loving care, because no storm is bigger, stronger or mightier than you, O God. You are our shelter. Even though these next couple of days will be difficult, you will get everyone through this.  I ask this in your precious name, Amen. 

That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 

Sunday, October 7th, 2018

Well, my prediction that yesterday's game would be a defensive struggle came true. The problem: Mississippi State scored more points than Auburn. By the final whistle, the Bulldogs had upended the eighth-ranked Tigers 23-9 at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville. It was the second time in the last four meetings that the Tigers failed to score a touchdown against MSU.  Let's try to pinpoint what went wrong. 

Auburn's offense generated 304 total yards, but most of it came in the second half as they relied on the passing game more often. The Tigers only mustered 79 yards in the first half. Even more significantly, the ground game was inept, gaining only 90 yards on 21 attempts. This marks the third straight contest in which the Tigers have failed to crack the century mark in that department, a first for the program since 1999. Jarrett Stidham was 9-of-18 for 214 yards, but spent a good bit of the night scrambling for his life. 

Defensively, Auburn simply couldn't solve State's puzzle, particularly in the rushing game. The Bulldogs made life miserable for the Tigers with 349 yards on the ground, including 195 from QB Nick Fitzgerald, who broke Tim Tebow's SEC career rushing record by a quarterback. Auburn did force one turnover when Jeremiah Dinson intercepted a Fitzgerald pass in the first period. A key stat, however,  was time of possession. State held the ball for 41:35, while Auburn had it for just 18:25. Effectively, the Tiger defense was worn down. 

Special teams was a mixed bag at best. Anders Carlson was superb on kickoffs and went 3-of-4 on field goals, the lone miss coming from 50 yards. The punting game was also solid, with Arryn Siposs averaging 47.0 yards on three kicks. Return-wise, though, is where problems arose. Ryan Davis fumbled two punts, losing one. The brightest spot was Marlon Davidson's block of a 31-yard field goal try by State's Jace Christmann in the final quarter. A 15-yard penalty on the Bulldogs after the play added to the Tigers' advantage. Sadly, Auburn blew the opportunity, being stopped after punching out one first down.

Aside from Auburn's performance, let's not forget two crucial calls by the officials that very well played a large role in the final outcome. The first came on Fitzgerald's 1-yard TD plunge on fourth-and-goal as time expired in the first half to give State a 13-3 lead. The other came on Auburn's JaTarvious Whitlow's 41-yard scamper at the end of the third quarter for what would have been a score that could have cut MSU's lead to 16-10. Unfortunately, officials ruled that Whitlow was stripped of the ball just before he broke the plane of the goal line, and State recovered in the end zone for a touchback. Honestly, my jury is out on both of the above plays. In both cases, the officials couldn't find any inconclusive evidence to reverse the ruling. Disappointing, but irreversible.

On the whole, our offense stank in the first half, but showed some life in the second half (albeit not enough to win). The defense was unusually out of whack. Special teams was up and down. Lots of work needs to be done to rectify the scenario. I'm not giving up hope, though. The Tigers return to }Jordan-Hare Stadium next Saturday to host Tennessee at 11 a.m. CT on the SEC Network. It will be our first showdown with the Vols since 2013. 

That's all for today. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 



Friday, October 5th, 2018

Auburn's receiving corps took an unfortunate hit today. Scott Hastings, the father of receiver Will Hastings, confirmed today that his son will miss the rest of this season after undergoing a second procedure on his left knee today. Will Hastings tore the ACL in his left knee in March, but quickly returned to the field in Week 2 of this season on Sept. 18th. He suffered issues with the knee late last month, and it was discovered that further repair to the ACL was needed, which led to surgery Thursday.

"His mom and I are both here and he had his first rehab session this morning," Scott Hastings told Auburn Undercover. "Good thing is he knows what to do." Will Hastings was targeted by quarterback Jarrett Stidham once and didn't record any stats. He sat out Auburn's last two games. Auburn coaches and teammates were amazed at the fast recovery by Hastings, who returned to the field in less than six months. Coaches proceeded carefully with him after playing him against Alabama State and LSU for a total of less than 10 snaps.  

 "He refuses to stay down," Scott Hastings pointed out. "Not sure where he gets that but I wish I had that much fight in me." Most doctors believe the average recovery time from a torn ACL in the knee is seven to nine months. According to a study by the Richmond Bone and Joint Clinic in Sugarland, Texas, the average recovery time for NFL players in 2010 was 10.8 months. On the contrary, the average recovery time in 2014 was 10 months, according to a Bleacher Report study of 24 NFL players.  

Auburn strength and conditioning coach Ryan Russell also noted Hastings' determination. "I think it was 20 or 30 minutes after Will tore his ACL in the stadium in the spring and he said, 'Coach, I'm going to come back faster than anyone has come back from one of these,'" Russell said in August. "Credit to him and Eli, too. It's been cool that both of them have been able to rehab together and they look awesome right now. That's all the credit to them and the sports medicine staff helping them get back. A lot of that is their mindset they approached their rehab with. Rehab is a grind.

"They're going to be in there between 6 and 6:30 starting their rehab every morning, for an hour and a half, two hours, whatever that leg trainer needs them for and they still have to come in and do their workout and all that. For them to be so consistent with their daily approach to where they are now, that's just awesome to see. That's a credit to those guys." Hastings and Eli Stove, who also sustained a torn ACL in March, were among the Tigers' top five wideouts last season, combining for 790 receiving yards, including 525 by Hastings. 

No. 8 Auburn (4-1, 1-1 SEC) squares off with Mississippi State (3-2, 0-2) tomorrow night at 6:30 p.m. CT in Starkville. The game will be televised by ESPN2. Personally, I strongly feel that we've got a defensive struggle on our hands. Speaking of which, it's already been 10 years since that notorious 3-2 squeaker that Auburn pulled out over State. The teams combined to go 3-for-30 on third-down conversions and punted a total of 17 times. They only generated a combined 432 total yards. Frankly, I'm still amazed that we won that game. I likely always will be. 

That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 

  


Wednesday, October 3rd, 2018

Three injured Auburn football starters returned to practice and participated in drills Tuesday, head coach Gus Malzahn confirmed this afternoon. Malzahn confirmed Auburn Undercover's report from earlier today citing an anonymous source that running back JaTarvious Whitlow (shoulder), and offensive tackles Jack Driscoll (knee) and Prince Tega Wanogho Jr. (knee) had returned to practice. 

Despite that, Malzahn pointed out that they "were not full speed." All three players were injured against Southern Miss last Saturday and none of them returned. Whitlow sustained a dislocated shoulder, a source told Auburn Undercover Saturday night. However, the extent of the knee injuries to Wanogho and Driscoll are not clear. Driscoll was previously nicked with an injury and is the healthier of the two injured offensive linemen. "I do know all three are going to try their best to play and be a part," Malzahn stated. "But we'll know more about that after practice (Tuesday)." 

Whitlow was injured late in the first half, while Wanogho and Driscoll were hurt in the second half of Auburn's 24-13 win over Southern Miss. If Whitlow is unable to play this week, Kam Martin will start at running back and Malik Miller will be used in third-down situations. "All of them were getting quality practice reps, most of them with the (starters)," Malzahn said. "Obviously (Martin has) gotten off to a good start and you can see him improving each time he goes out there but we have confidence in those other guys as well." Martin was especially effective in the fourth quarter against the Golden Eagles. 

"Obviously, Kam Martin will be the first guy out there (if Whitlow is unable to play," Malzahn said yesterday. "We've got a lot of confidence in him. If you saw him last week, he ran with a passion and with a will, especially when the game was on the line, and protected the football. We were very impressed with his performance last week." 

Options along the offensive line include redshirt freshmen Austin Troxell and Calvin Ashley, who can play guard or tackle, and Bailey Sharp. Wanogho was replaced at left tackle by Sharp and Ashley replaced Driscoll at right tackle when they were banged up against USM last week. Auburn is a three-point favorite entering this week's trip to Mississippi State. The eighth-ranked Tigers (4-1, 1-1 SEC) and the Bulldogs (3-2, 0-2) are set to face off on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN2.  

That's all for today. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE! 




Monday, October 1st, 2018

Auburn will square off with Tennessee in the morning on October 13th at Jordan-Hare Stadium. That game will have an 11 a.m. CT opening kickoff. A television network has yet to be determined, but it will air on either ESPN or the SEC Network. A decision will be made after the SEC's Week 6 games have been played this Saturday.  

The Tigers and Vols last met in 2013, with Auburn routing Tennessee 55-23 in Knoxville. 

In other news...

- Good news on running back JaTarvious Whitlow: According to offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey said Whitlow may not be as limited as some feared after leaving last Saturday's game with Southern Miss due to an apparent left shoulder injury. "Boobie was at practice today," he said yesterday. "Sunday is kinda light for us, so hopefully - we'll wait and see if he's back."   

If Auburn wants to leave Starkville victorious on Saturday, it may be beneficial to have Whitlow in the lineup to take the pressure off of Jarrett Stidham and the struggling offensive line. Whitlow currently leads the Tigers in rushing and touchdowns with 326 yards and four scores. 

That's all for now. Until next time, God Bless, and WAR EAGLE!