Tag: Shedrick Jackson

Malzahn updates status of D.J. Williams and Shedrick Jackson

Auburn may be without two offensive pieces on Saturday for their always entertaining matchup with LSU Saturday.

Auburn may be without two offensive pieces on Saturday for its always entertaining matchup with LSU Saturday.

The Auburn Tigers could be without running back D.J. Williams and receiver Shedrick Jackson as both are battling injuries.

Williams, Auburn’s third-leading rusher this season behind Tank Bigsby and Bo Nix, carried the ball just once against Ole Miss. The run gained 8 yards but proved costly, as he left the field one play later hobbling and may be unable to go against the Bayou Bengals.

“It’s really hard to say, as far as being able to play,” Gus Malzahn said. “I’d probably need to get to Thursday before giving a more direct answer. We’re hopeful, but he did get banged up.”

Thankfully for Auburn, junior running back Shaun Shivers returned last week and looked like his normal shifty self, running for 60 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries.

With Williams potentially down, it will be up to Shivers and Nix to continue to compliment Bigsby, who has rushed for more than 100 yards in three consecutive games and has emerged as one of the top backs in the country as a true freshman.

Jackson, the team’s top blocking receiver, missed his second game of the season last week against Ole Miss.

Malzahn described his stats as, “questionable, probably, at best.”

Jackson has just five catches in his Auburn career but brings value as a downfield blocker.

Auburn ‘hopeful’ to get injured players back this week

In Auburn’s season opener against Kentucky, the Tigers were down several notable players.

In Auburn’s season opener against Kentucky, the Tigers were down several notable players.

Jay Hardy, Marco Domio, Dre Butler, Daniel Foster-Allen, Shedrick Jackson, and Brandon Frazier were all out. Big Kat Bryant was limited only played a few snaps.

Romello Height and O.C. Brothers are also out for an indefinite amount of time after undergoing shoulder procedures, although Gus Malzahn is hopeful they will be available sometime this season.

Malzahn is ‘hopeful’ that the players who were unavailable for the Kentucky game will return this week.

“We’re hopeful for everybody at this point,” Malzahn said. “Now, we’ll see but we’re hopeful that we’ll have everybody back.”

While their injuries are undisclosed, Bryant was said to have suffered an ankle injury in practice and Hardy was seen wearing a boot before the game.

With Auburn down Hardy and Butler along the defensive line, the groups depth stood out, as nine different defensive linemen saw the field against Kentucky and DaQuan Newkirk had a big game, recording six tackles, two tackles for loss and the first sack of his career.

With Jackson out, freshman wide receiver Ze’Vian Capers stepped up, hauling in one catch for 17 yards and perhaps more impressively, did not react when a Kentucky defender shoved him for a personal foul.

Auburn will need to be as close to full strength as possible next week when they travel to Athens to take on No. 4 Georgia.