Auburn vs. Alabama A&M Game Day Section

GAME DAY Nov. 17 vs. Alabama A&M 6:30 p.m., SEC Network Alternate

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The Auburn Plainsman: Game Day

Thursday, November 17, 2016

INJURIES

Injuries mounting as Auburn heads toward finish line

ADAM SPARKS / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

With a depleted backfield, freshman Kam Martin (9) will have a bigger role against Alabama A&M.

Sam Butler

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Auburn is limping to the finish line, but it’ll have somewhat of a reprieve this week against FCS opponent Alabama A&M. Kamryn Pettway, Stanton Truitt and Chandler Cox will all miss this Saturday’s game against the Bulldogs. Pettway still isn’t healed properly from his injury against Vanderbilt, while Truitt and Cox got banged up in the loss to Georgia.

And a call about Sean White, who re-injured his shoulder in the loss as well, still hasn’t been made. Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said he’d reevaluate White’s status later in the week and decide then after a few practices. On top of that, senior receiver Marcus Davis is out for the remainder of the regular season with a shoulder injury.

Without Pettway, Truitt and Cox in the backfield, Auburn’s running back depth has run dangerously thin. Behind Kerry-

on Johnson, the only bonafide running back available to spell him is freshman Kam Martin, who has all the confidence in the world from his coaches to do what’s required of this new role, should it come down to it.

“He’s a great competitor,” Malzahn said. “He’s a freshman and still learning. He hasn’t played a whole lot, and he was put in a tough situation. Kam’s going to be a great player for us. There is no doubt in my mind, and we have confidence in him, and he’s going to make a whole lot of plays to help us win games in the future.”

After that, it gets spotty. Another freshman, Malik Miller, is rehabbing his knee after he had surgery on it, but he’s practicing. Nickel safety Rudy Ford, who played running back in high school and was originally recruited to play the same position at Auburn, could even potentially see some game reps there.

“Obviously we got Kerryon, we got Kam Martin, Malik

Miller is going to practice this week,” Malzahn said. “Rudy Ford has gotten reps during the season so we’ll see how that all goes. Like I said, I’ll probably have a better idea running back-wise what our plan will be towards the end of the week too.”

With so many injuries mounting, it would make a lot of sense to sit guys like White and Johnson, who Auburn will definitely need the following week when the Tigers travel to Tuscaloosa. Even though that may be the case, they’re not treating this game against Alabama A&M as an extra bye week.

“In college football nowadays you can’t really just move on to the next opponent so well,” said safety Tray Matthews.

“We’ve got to game plan for these guys and we can’t really look forward because nowadays anything can happen in college football. It’s still the same, we’re still preparing the right way.”

Thursday, November 17, 2016

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The Auburn Plainsman: Game Day

EAST

WEST SEC

SEC

OVERALL

OVERALL

# 1 Alabama

7-0

10-0

# 21 Florida

5-2

7-2

# 18 Auburn

5-2

7-3

Tennessee

3-3

7-3

# 16 LSU

4-2

6-3

Georgia

4-4

6-4

#23TexasA&M

4-3

7-3

Kentucky

4-4

5-5

Arkansas

2-4

6-4

South Carolina

3-5

5-5

Ole Miss

2-4

5-5

Missouri

1-5

3-7

2-4 Mississippi State

4-6

Vanderbilt

1-5

4-6

Standings

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The Auburn Plainsman: Game Day

Thursday, November 17, 2016

QUARTERBACKS

White’s injury leaves QB situation in flux against Alabama A&M

ELLEN JACKSON / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

John Franklin III runs for an 80-yard touchdown against Louisiana-Monroe. If Sean White doesn’t play against Alabama A&M, Franklin would be the next man up for Auburn at quarterback.

Sam Butler

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Auburn’s quarterback situation could get odd on Saturday.

With Sean White nursing an injured shoulder that he aggravated in the loss to Georgia, the coaches might elect to sit him out and rest for the Iron Bowl. White, whose performance his coaches and teammates refer to as ‘gutsy,’ doesn’t want to miss any playing time, however.

“I want to play. I want to play every chance I get,” White said. “I want to play at Jordan-Hare and with my teammates and play for Auburn. So I'm going to want to play as much as I can. But yes, the Iron Bowl is a week away and I want to be as healthy as I can for that, too. I think it's just going to be up to the trainers and the coaches and how I feel and everything that goes with that.”

This is the second season in a row that White has suffered

an injury that has severely impacted his ability to run the offense efficiently: in 2015, he tweaked his knee and foot in the loss to Arkansas and wasn’t really close to his old self until the Birmingham Bowl. Now, another late-season injury has affected him once more.

“You're being a competitor,” I can understand why people would say (I’m injury-prone). I think it's just bad luck. But that might be playing into why I just wanted to play: I don't want to be that guy that's always injured or anything like that. I want to be out there playing.”

If White doesn’t play, John Franklin III will likely get the starter’s reps instead. Franklin started Auburn’s game against Vanderbilt, but he was replaced by White at halftime as Auburn was clinging to a slim lead and coach Gus Malzahn deemed the team needed a ‘spark.’ In that one half of action, Franklin went 2-of-4 for nine yards, and he rushed for 59 yards

on seven carries.

The other option at quarterback is Jeremy Johnson, who hasn’t taken a snap on offense since the opener against Clemson. The only other time he’s seen this field this year was during Mississippi State, when he lined up on the kickoff return team.

“I mean, obviously it’s been tough, the last two years on him and I think everybody knows that,” Malzahn said. “He’s handled himself well. He’s been there for his teammates and just trying to help us any way he can.”

Despite the lack of extensive, substantial playing time for both Franklin and Johnson this year, Auburn’s confident that either one will be able to provide what the offense needs to win against Alabama A&M. “I’m confident in whoever we put out there that they get it done,” Malzahn said. “That’s 100 percent the truth.”

Thursday, November 17, 2016

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The Auburn Plainsman: Game Day

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The Auburn Plainsman: Game Day

Quarterback: Sean White - 13 John Franklin III - 5 Jeremy Johnson - 6

Wide Receiver: Darius Slayton - 81 Kyle Davis - 11

Left Tackle: Running Back: Darius James - 78 Kerryon Johnson - 21 OR Austin Golson - 73 Kamryn Pettway - 36 Left Guard: H-Back/Tight End: Alex Kozan - 63 Chandler Cox - 27 Marquel Harrell - 77 Jalen Harris - 85 Center: Wide Receiver: Austin Golson - 73 Ryan Davis - 83 Xavier Dampeer - 52 Eli Stove - 12 Right Guard: Wide Receiver: Braden Smith - 71 Marcus Davis - 80 Mike Horton - 64 Will Hastings - 33 Right Tackle: Wide Receiver: Robert Leff - 70 Tony Stevens - 8 Prince Tega Wanogho - 76 Nate Craig-Myers - 3

Thursday, November 17, 2016

Defensive End: Marlon Davidson - 3 Byron Cowart - 9

Sam Linebacker: Darrell Williams - 49 Richard McBryde - 51

Kicker: Daniel Carlson - 38 Ian Shannon - 43

Defensive Tackle: Montravius Adams - 1 Derrick Brown - 5 OR Devaroe Lawrence - 94

Field Corner Carlton Davis - 6 Marshall Taylor - 26 OR John Broussard - 22

Punter: Kevin Phillips - 91 Ian Shannon - 43

Field Safety: Nick Ruffin - 19 Stephen Roberts - 14

Long Snapper: Ike Powell - 69 Zach Wade - 68 OR Clarke Smith - 53

Defensive Tackle: Dontavius Russell - 95 Maurice Swain - 90 OR Andrew Williams - 79 Buck: Carl Lawson - 55 Jeff Holland - 4 Mike Linebacker: Deshaun Davis - 57 T.J. Neal - 17

Boundary Safety: Tray Matthews - 28 Markell Boston - 11 Boundary Corner: Josh Holsey - 15 Javaris Davis - 31 Nickel: Jonathan Ford - 23 Daniel Thomas - 24

Will Linebacker: Tre’ Williams - 30 Montavious Atkinson - 48

Holder: Tyler Stovall - 29 John Franklin III - 5 Punt Returner: Marcus Davis - 80 Ryan Davis - 83 Kick Returner: Johnathan Ford - 23 AND Kerryon Johnson - 21

ALABAMA A&M DEPTH CHART Quarterback: DeAngelo Ballard - 18 P.J. Garrett - 16

Left Tackle: Malcolm Johnson - 78

Running Back: Jordan Bentley - 23 Byran Brower - 31

Left Guard: Alvintae Kirkse - 53

Wide Receiver: Jonathan Dorsey - 87 Juaquin Davis - 35

Center: Tevoris Butler - 71

Wide Receiver: O’Darius Williams - 19 Monte Jones - 2 Wide Receiver: Ledarion Heath - 6 Kalias Robertson - 89 Wide Receiver: Tevin McKenzie - 9 Marceles Clash - 83

Right Guard: Chazz Wilson - 59 Right Tackle: Austin Simmons - 68

Defensive End: Vernon Moland - 54 Defensive Tackle: Ryan Ducksworth - 50 Nose Guard: Averee Giles - 95 Defensive End: Yurik Bethune - 85 Sam Linebacker: Virgin Johnson - 49 Mike Linebacker: Bryan Bower - 32

Star: Mike Mills - 34 Cornerback: Dexter Reese - 20 Cornerback: Devonte Simon - 12 Safety: Tere Calloway - 4 Safety: Dylan Hamilton - 27

Kicker: Nick Carden - 25 Punter: Nick Carden - 25 Snapper: Devin Andrews - 51 Punt Returner: Rashad Anderson - 17 Tevin McKenzie - 9 Kick Returner: Harvey Harris O’Darius Williams - 19

Thursday, November 17, 2016

A U B U R N

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The Auburn Plainsman: Game Day

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