Auburn notebook: McNeil likely headed for redshirt

AUBURN — Safety Mike McNeil will not play Saturday against LSU and it’s looking more and more like 2009 might be chalked up as a wash for the junior safety.

Coach Gene Chizik said Wednesday he’s had some “good conversations” with McNeil, who has not seen the field since he broke his leg during a spring scrimmage, and will continue to play his situation “by ear.”

“The hourglass has been turned over,” Chizik said. “So we’re coming down into the last quarter of the season, certainly after this week. So we won’t rule anything out. There’s possibilities both ways.

“Redshirting is still on the table.”

McNeil started every game last season and finished second in tackles behind fellow safety Zac Etheridge. Safeties coach Tommy Thigpen singled out McNeil during the spring as a player he counted on to lead not just his position, but the defense as a whole.

Now, though, his presence on the field likely won’t benefit the team until he proves he’s at 100 percent, Chizik said.

“What we don’t want to do is get a guy out there who’s 75 percent and then on top of that, you’re looking at the last third of the year to play,” Chizik said. “So you just kind of add those up and figure out what the best is for our team first and obviously we have his best interest in mind, too.”

Freshman Daren Bates has done an admirable job in McNeil’s place, racking up 38 tackles — fifth-best on the team — and seemingly improving with every game.

“Right now we got Daren Bates and that’s what we’ve got to go with,” Thigpen said earlier in the month. “That’s the young man that we’ve got to count on for the next few weeks.”

More redshirt talk: Chizik said he won’t set a “drop-dead date” for when a player will officially redshirt the season, especially with the Tigers’ precarious depth situation.

“If you had a perfect world, you would go ahead and continue to redshirt them through the rest of the year,” Chizik said. “It’s really hard for me to say exactly what we would do in an isolated incident. But this late in the year, if people are redshirted, typically that’s what you would like to do is continue to ride the year out.”

Six members of Auburn’s 2009 signing class, including quarterbacks Tyrik Rollison and Clint Moseley, have yet to see the field this season.

On the mend: Defensive lineman Zach Clayton has not played in the Tigers’ three previous games and remains in the “day-by-day” club, Chizik said. Clayton is battling an ankle injury.

“He’s to the point where I think he’s getting over the hump, working toward being able to play,” Chizik said. “Will he play this Saturday or not? We’ll see … But he’s done more than he has in the last couple weeks.”

Old friends: Offensive line coach Jeff Grimes called LSU offensive coordinator Gary Crowton “one of my favorite people in all of coaching” Wednesday when discussing his former boss.

Grimes’ first year at BYU in 2004 was Crowton’s last as head coach, but Grimes said he was able to develop a strong bond with him — one they still have today.

“He and I worked together very closely together there for a year,” Grimes said. “No. 1, a great person, great family man, just thoroughly enjoyed working for him. Still stay in touch with him. But also a great offensive mind, really knows football, knows how to attack a defense, very creative.

“So I’m looking forward to seeing him.”