Auburn’s defense is taking another hit heading into Saturday’s matchup with Arkansas, and this time the Tigers will be without one of their most productive linebackers.
On Friday, Auburn’s official availability report ruled linebacker Bryce Deas and safety Sylvester Smith-Reed out for the game against the Razorbacks. Deas had not been listed with an injury designation before Friday, and there is still no information on the nature of his injury or when he might return. Smith-Reed, meanwhile, is dealing with the injury that knocked him out of last week’s Ole Miss game.
The absences don’t stop there. Wide receiver Jeremiah Koger and cornerback Andre Jordan Jr. are both questionable for Auburn’s early Saturday kickoff, while offensive lineman Tai Buster and tight end Hunter Herring have also been ruled out.
Deas’ loss stings in particular. He ranks fourth on the team with 39 total tackles, sits fifth with 24 solo tackles, and has added a pass deflection this season. With Deas now sidelined and former All-American linebacker Xavier Atkins already dismissed from the program before the LSU game after being held out against Georgia, Auburn is suddenly thin in the middle of its defense.
That leaves sophomore linebacker Elijah Melendez carrying a heavy load. He still leads the Tigers in solo tackles, total tackles and pass deflections, and he is fully healthy for Saturday.
De’Marcus Riddick is also available after missing most of last season with an injury. Riddick was an All-SEC Freshman Teamer in 2024, but he has yet to fully settle in this year, and Auburn will need more from him now with Deas unavailable.
Smith-Reed’s absence matters too, though Auburn does have more flexibility in the secondary. AnQuon Fegans, Rayshawn Pleasant and Champ Anthony are all options, and Anthony is listed as a “STAR” on the Tigers’ official depth chart, which means he could slide to safety if needed.
It all adds up to another week of next-man-up football for Auburn as it tries to handle Ryan Silverfield’s Arkansas Razorbacks at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Kickoff is set for 11:45 a.m. CT, with the game airing on SEC Network.
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Now the attention shifts to the structure behind the calls, with speculation already building around whether offensive coordinator Joel Gordons role could change. Auburn got the win, but the postgame tone made clear this was not the kind of offensive performance Golesh wants to keep living with. For a team trying to build momentum, the bigger question is whether the staffs answer is a tweak, a reset, or something more significant. [Read more 🡒]
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Byrum Browns impact helped cover up an offense that still looked uneven up front, and the protection issues were hard to miss even in a victory. The pass rush gave Auburn a lift, but the secondary also had stretches that will keep coaches busy, which is why a win like this can still feel like a reminder of how much work remains. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Finally Showed A Pulse But One Concern Isn't Going Away
Auburns 26-23 win over Arkansas offered a much-needed jolt, both for a team that had been searching for traction and for an offense that finally found a better rhythm after a slow start. The Tigers are now 5-4 overall and 3-4 in the SEC, and while the early struggles were real, the second half brought enough improvement to suggest there is still something to work with as the season moves deeper into November.
The defense did its part in keeping Auburn afloat, holding Arkansas to 23 points even while giving up 179 rushing yards, and freshman linebacker Shadarius Toodle stood out with a disruptive performance that included 11 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and three sacks. Still, the run defense remains the concern that wont go away, and it is the kind of issue that could keep this team from turning one encouraging result into a real run of momentum. [Read more 🡒]