Though the physicality of Auburn’s four-overtime loss to Arkansas was easy to see as players slowly trudged off the field at Reynolds Razorback Stadium, it didn’t become fully apparent how beat up the Tigers were until a week later.
Several offensive players were not 100 percent healthy for Auburn’s contest against Ole Miss, and offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee updated their conditions on Sunday at a press conference.
Starting quarterback Sean White did not practice the week leading up to the game, and he was announced as a game-time decision on Saturday morning.
White was evaluated in pregame warmups, and the training staff deemed him fit to play. He did not receive all the offensive snaps, as backup quarterback Jeremy Johnson, running back Kerryon Johnson and wide receiver Jason Smith took snaps behind center or threw passes in the 27-19 loss in an effort to keep White from taking hits.
Despite the injured left knee, White set a career high with 258 yards on 12-28 passing against the Rebels.
Lashlee said the quarterback’s toughness has been impressive in his first five college games.
“If I would have tried to tell him in pregame warmups I don’t think he could go, I think we’d have had 12 men on the field the first play,” Lashlee said. “He was going to play. He was determined.”
Lashlee said he is “optimistic” White will practice this week after Dr. James Andrews examined White after the game and determined he suffered no additional damage to the knee.
White’s partner in the backfield, Peyton Barber, was also hobbled entering the game after receiving 37 carries against the Razorbacks.
Barber did not start the game, but he entered on the first drive and received the first carry for Auburn’s offense. The running back carried eight times in the first half but was ineffective, gaining only 17 yards.
Barber did not receive a carry in the second half, but Lashlee said he is fine.
“I don’t think he’s any worse for (playing),” Lashlee said. “He was sore, didn’t get to practice much last week. (He) showed some toughness, tried to give it a go, just wasn’t quite his self. But I don’t think there’s any long-term effects.”
Wide receiver Stanton Truitt did not see the field against Ole Miss after suffering a shoulder injury late in the first half of the Arkansas game.
Lashlee said Truitt is still “day-to-day,” and then on Tuesday, coach Gus Malzahn announced Truitt would miss the rest of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery.
Lashlee said it is important to be as healthy as possible as Auburn enters the home stretch of the season.
“We’re in a tough stretch right now,” Lashlee said. “We’ve got four tough, physical games left.”
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