Kerryon Johnson is back at practice, but his status for Saturday’s game against Arkansas hasn't been set in stone yet.
Offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee said he was ‘moving around’ at Sunday’s practice. He noted that Johnson ‘has a shot’ to play Saturday, but didn’t rule anything out or commit to making a decision.
Tuesday, at his weekly press conference, Auburn coach Gus Malzahn echoed the same sentiments. Malzahn said Johnson would practice Tuesday, and that the staff would know more regarding his ability to play afterward.
Johnson injured his ankle early in the first quarter against Mississippi State and didn’t return to the game. Kamryn Pettway picked up Johnson’s slack in his stead, rushing for 169 yards on a bruising 39 carries.
Johnson has been the workhorse back, but Pettway proved himself plenty capable to shoulder the load should Johnson’s ankle not hold up well enough to make it to game action on Saturday.
Behind Pettway, though, it gets hairy. If Johnson can’t go, freshman Kam Martin is the only true running back on the roster who would be able to play since Malik Miller underwent knee surgery earlier this month. Stanton Truitt, who was a slot receiver but has since been converted to a speedier running back, would be the only ball carrier available.
If Johnson can go and is at close to full strength, it could make things easier for an Auburn running attack that’s picking up steam. The Tigers rank third in the SEC in rushing, even with a bye week, and they’ll be going up against an Arkansas rushing defense that leaves much to be desired.
The Razorbacks allow 175.9 yards per game on the ground, the 80th-best rushing defense in the country. They also have allowed 17 rushing touchdowns, the most by any defense in the SEC.
Getting the ground game going will be crucial for Auburn if they hope to keep the chains moving and prevent an Arkansas offense that holds the ball for an average of 35 minutes per game — the second-most in the country — from getting on the field and bleeding the clock.
“It’s definitely important,” said guard Alex Kozan. “When they get the ball to start the game and you look and you get it for the first time and half the first quarter’s over, you really realize that. We need to make the most of every possession and hopefully our defense can step up and not let them control the game clock like that.”
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