In anticipation of Hugh Freeze, three veteran Auburn players are anticipated to miss the bowl game against Maryland.
Three veteran defenders will be absent from Nissan Stadium when the Auburn Tigers host the Maryland Terrapins for the Music City Bowl halftime show.
It is anticipated that defensive lineman Marcus Harris, defensive backs DJ James and Nehemiah Pritchett, will not participate in the bowl game, head coach Hugh Freeze disclosed at a press conference on Saturday.
“I have endeavored to obtain confirmation regarding all of that as I have aversion to speaking and occasionally express opinions that are not entirely precise, which I find objectionable. “This is not deliberate,” Freeze explained. “It is my belief that neither Nehemiah Pritchett nor DJ James will perform. I hold the same belief regarding Marcus Harris. I have faith that those individuals will opt out.
While James and Pritchett have both reached the age of ineligibility, Harris declared his intention to enter the NFL Draft on December 12. He would be forgoing his final year of eligibility.
Without James and Pritchett participating against Maryland, Auburn will be looking to replace guys who combined for 60 total tackles, 13 pass breakups and three interceptions through the course of the regular season.
Fortunately for the Tigers, Freeze stated on Saturday that he still had faith in senior bowl invitee Jaylin Simpson’s participation in the bowl game.
“He’s nursing that hamstring some, but I just met with him and he has intentions to play,” Freeze said of Simpson.
The fact that Keionte Scott announced Monday that he’d be returning to The Plains for his senior season also comes as a relief to Auburn’s secondary, which will now be sparse against Maryland. Meanwhile Auburn also boasts young talent in the secondary in guys like Kayin Lee, JD Rhym, Colton Hood and JC Hart — all whom are guaranteed to see increased action this postseason.
“I just told these young guys, they’re going to get thrown in there. Truthfully, you’re going to get those inexperienced corners in for sure,” Freeze said. “It will be good to see how they prepare for a game and then go play a very talented football team.”
The loss of Harris, on the other hand, might be a more difficult vacancy to fill.
During the 2023 regular season, Harris tallied 40 total tackles and 11 tackles behind the line of scrimmage. Harris added another seven sacks to his regular-season resume. Both Harris’ tally of TFLs and sacks led the Tigers in 2023.
Without Harris available along the offensive front, Auburn will likely look to Jayson Jones, Justin Rogers and Zykeivous Walker to fill in. Each member of that triumvirate appeared in all 12 of Auburn’s games in 2023 with Walker leading the way with 20 tackles, two tackles for a loss and a sack.
Freeze said some of Auburn’s younger defensive linemen will also be put into the mix.
“Up front we are a little thin now with Mosiah (Nasili-Kite) being out and Marcus choosing not to play,” Freeze said. “It’s next man up. We’ve got to get some of these young men in there. Some DJ Reeds, some (Quientrail Jamison-Travis), put them in there and see how they do.”
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