Auburn notes: Injuries decimating offensive line

AUBURN — It’s been a rough week for Auburn’s offensive line.

The line was considered one of the most settled units on the team heading into preseason practice, with all five starters returning. But injuries have hit the line hard, culminating in Sunday’s practice, which saw three returning starters sidelined.

Right guard Chaz Ramsey, center Jason Bosley and right tackle Ryan Pugh all missed Sunday’s practice.

Ramsey, who had back surgery in the spring, hasn’t yet attended a practice in the preseason. Bosley injured his back Wednesday and has missed five consecutive practices. According to head coach Tommy Tuberville, Pugh was poked in the eye during Saturday’s scrimmage, but will be back soon.

Pugh’s absence was especially difficult, since he doubles as the Tigers’ backup center. With the top two centers sidelined, AU turned to left guard Tyronne Green and backup tackle Mike Berry.

Green worked as the first-team center in 11-on-11 drills, while Berry — who worked as the first-team left guard — was at center with the second-team offense. Sophomore Bart Eddins worked at first-team right tackle in place of Pugh.

It was a change for Green, a high-school defensive lineman who has spent the bulk of his Auburn career at left guard.

“Those were definitely the first snaps I ever took at center,” Green said. “You have to make calls and pretty much tell everybody else who they’ve got and you have to snap the ball and get on your guy.

“I have a lot more respect for my teammates, Bosley and Pugh, at center. I’m hoping they get well real soon so I can get back at left guard.”

DT Clayton back in action: Defensive tackle Zach Clayton has some idea what Pugh is going through. Clayton, a sophomore from Opelika, was poked in the eye last week and missed two practices after being diagnoses with a corneal abrasion.

The injury wasn’t serious, but it gave Clayton quite a scare.

“I’m pretty sure it was a finger — it poked me about knuckle-deep, it felt like,” he said. “It was very scary when it first happened.”

Clayton spent two days wearing a patch on his left eye, but was back at full speed in time to participate in Saturday’s scrimmage.

Injury report: Cornerback Harry Adams had what appeared to be a close call Sunday. The true freshman took a blow to the chest during practice, apparently while catching punts with the other prospective punt returners.

Trainers took Adams to the sideline, where they treated him for several minutes before an ambulance arrived at the intramural fields where the Tigers were practicing.

Emergency medical personnel helped Adams into the ambulance, which drove him off the practice fields. But Tuberville said the injury was a minor one.

“He got the breath knocked out of him,” Tuberville said. “He couldn’t get his breath, so he went (in the ambulance) as a precaution, to make sure he didn’t have anything else wrong with him.

“He got a lot better, they said, once they took him out.”

Auburn can’t afford many more injuries in the defensive backfield. With junior Aairon Savage out for the season with a knee injury, freshmen Marcus Jemison and T’Sharvan Bell out indefinitely with leg injuries and rookie safety DeRon Furr off the team, AU has just 10 scholarship defensive backs.

Wideout Robert Dunn practiced in a blue non-contact jersey Sunday. Tuberville said the senior suffered a bruised shoulder.

Tuberville also said tight end Brent Slusher has been sidelined with a breathing issue. The sophomore hasn’t practiced since the first day of preseason practice.

“I don’t know what it was,” said Tuberville, gesturing at his upper chest to describe the ailment. “He ran good in the summer, and late in the summer he couldn’t function real good. Hopefully he’ll be back out here soon.”