AUBURN FOOTBALL: Savage’s injury leaves hole in secondary

By Collin Mickle

Published: August 5, 2008

When cornerback Aairon Savage went down with an apparent knee injury during Monday’s practice, Auburn defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads was concerned.

But Rhoads knew he couldn’t afford to spend too much time worrying: Auburn’s offense and defense continued practicing while medical staffers treated Savage on the sidelines.

So he waved junior Walter McFadden into the drill in Savage’s place and continued to coach the rest of the defenders as Savage was loaded onto a cart and driven off the field.

That’s the only possible response for Auburn’s defensive backs: Who’s next?

“You just step up and move on,” Rhoads said Tuesday. “Aairon was in a battle to see if he could start with a number of other guys, and a number of other guys will have to step up for this football team.”

Head coach Tommy Tuberville said Tuesday that the nature of Savage’s injury is still unclear. But the junior is heading to Birmingham to be examined by team doctors, and Tuberville admitted surgery is very much an option.

While Savage waits for a prognosis, the rest of Auburn’s defensive backs will continue their battle for playing time, which could become even more important if Savage is sidelined long-term.

Even before Savage went down, Rhoads had planned to play at least one of Auburn’s true freshman in the secondary. AU returns just five experienced defensive backs from last season, including Savage.

The Tigers signed eight defensive backs in February. One, T’Sharvan Bell, is sidelined by a broken left foot. Another, DeRon Furr, officially left the team Tuesday.

The remaining six — cornerbacks D’Antoine Hood, Harry Adams, Drew Cole and Neiko Thorpe and safeties Christian Thompson and Marcus Jemison — will fight for playing time.

Junior Jerraud Powers is set as the starter at one cornerback spot. Safeties Zac Etheridge and Mike McNeil have their starting jobs all but sewn up, and McFadden is likely to replace Savage at the other corner.

But AU will need reserves at all four positions. Sophomore Ryan Williams and redshirt freshman Mike Slade return at cornerback and safety, respectively, but neither has much experience on defense.

That leaves an opening the freshmen have been happy to fill. Tuesday, with Savage sidelined and Powers excused to take a final exam, Thorpe worked with the first-team defense in 11-on-11 drills.

Hood, Adams, Thompson and Jemison all got second-team reps during 11-on-11s.

But Rhoads says it’s too early to say any of the rookies is ahead of anyone else.

“A bunch of guys rotated in and out (of drills),” he said. “I don’t know if anybody has stepped up heads and shoulders above. I think they’re all showing bright spots.”

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