Justin Hokanson
AuburnSports.com Staff Writer
Gene Chizik and the Auburn Tigers
prepare to enter one of the toughest months in the program's history,
facing four Top 25 teams in the next four weeks, including three on the
road.
The challenge begins this Saturday in Columbia, S.C. as Auburn (3-1,
1-0) faces No. 10 South Carolina (4-0, 2-0), as the Gamecocks are off to
their best start under coach Steve Spurrier.
An already thin depth chart in terms of experience got even more
depleted, as the Tigers lost junior defensive end Dee Ford for the
season after the reserve end underwent back surgery this week.
In addition to Ford, Auburn held out a number of players last weekend
against Florida Atlantic. Guard John Sullen, linebacker Jonathan Evans,
tight-end Philip Lutzenkirchen, and corner Chris Davis all sat out. Most
are expected to return to action against Carolina, with Chizik saying
Davis would be a, "game time" decision.
Davis will travel, but cornerbacks coach Phillip Lolley said Davis would
have to be, "100 percent" for them to throw him into the fire
against one of the nation's best wideouts in Alshon Jeffery.
While Chizik and company lost Ford for the season earlier this week,
they have also lost reserve wide receiver and starting punt returner
Trovon Reed indefinitely after a hard hit on Reed knocked him out late
against the Owls.
Reed's replacement will be true freshman Quan Bray, who the Tigers are
counting on to receive more snaps on offense and fill in returning
punts. Tough task for a freshman on the road, but offensive coordinator
Gus Malzahn believes Bray will be ready.
"He's got a great opportunity," Malzahn said. "He's got
some play-making ability. He just needs experience and he's going to get
it this game."
Auburn practiced for 70 minutes on Thursday night, working on
situational and position drills during Thursday's practice as the Tigers
polished the game plan for Saturday.
The focus of this week's game plan has centered around South Carolina's
all-everything, sophomore running back Marcus Lattimore, the nation's
third leading rusher. Lattimore has 611 yards on 107 carries, an average
of 5.7 yards per carry. Lattimore leads the SEC with 187.5 all-purpose
yards per game.
"He's the very best I've seen in this league this year.
Period," Lolley said. "End of story."
Stopping Lattimore is a feat for any defense, especially one that gives
up 226 yards per game and ranks 112th in the nation in rush defense.
While Chizik felt like his defense handled themselves better last week,
that progress must continue against the talented Lattimore.
"I thought our tackling, although at times wasn't where we wanted
it to be, got better. I think we definitely took a step forward
defensively Saturday night," Chizik said. "We have a lot of
room for improvement."
As Chizik takes one of the youngest teams in the nation for their second
road game of 2011, the head coach said earlier in the week that playing
through momentum swings would be crucial.
Freshman safety Erique Florence echoed those sentiments this week.
"At Clemson, once they started coming back the crowd got into it
and we had to adjust," said Florence. "I think this time we
just need to feed off the crowd and play off it."
The Tigers and the Gamecocks kickoff at 2:30 p.m. CT at Brice-Williams
Stadium on Saturday. The game will be televised on CBS.
