As Auburn prepares for its Citrus Bowl showdown with Northwestern on Friday, the Tigers will be without one of their standout receivers and could be missing other key players.
On Wednesday, interim head coach Kevin Steele announced that Anthony Schwartz will miss the bowl game but did not say why.
According to Steele, Mark-Antony Richards, who entered the transfer portal earlier in the month, is also not taking part in the bowl game.
“Well, Schwartz and Mark-Antony Richards, for sure,” Steele said. “Now we have some other guys, and I’m not going to disclose that because I take a little bit more of an NFL approach of not letting the opponent know exactly what, but we have some guys that are injured, and we have some guys that are in COVID protocol that may or not be cleared from Dr. Goodlett.”
Steele did not go into specifics on which players are in the COVID protocol but did give some insight on the injury front.
In the secondary, Auburn could be without starting safety Jamien Sherwood as he is battling through an ankle injury, per Steele. Heading into the bowl game, Sherwood is third on the team in total tackles with 65 this season.
“We’re a little banged up,” Steele said. “Sherwood is probably the biggest question. He had a little ankle injury, and so he’s a little bit of a question, but there’s a chance. There’s a chance.”
Against Mississippi State, freshman defensive back Ladarius Tennison started in place of an injured Christian Tutt in the secondary and will start against Northwestern, per Steele.
In the regular-season finale against Mississippi State, Tennison recorded six total tackles, including two solo tackles.
“Ladarius played really, really good, Steele said. “He played like a starter. We do see him starting at the star position in this game. He really has just progressed and is a very good football player.”
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Jake Weese, senior in journalism with a minor in history, is The Plainsman's sports editor.
