Adams, Bell moving in the secondary

The dismissal of three defensive players has led to a secondary shakeup at Auburn.

For Harry Adams, that meant a return move from receiver to cornerback.

“I knew it was going to happen, what the situation was,” the sophomore said. “If they needed me over there, I’m going to go over there and help the team – no if’s, and’s or but’s about it.”

Adams admitted that he preferred offense to defense. Once Aairon Savage sustained an Achilles injury that will likely keep him sidelined all season, Adams said he knew the move was coming.

The move became more imminent once safety Christian Thompson was kicked off the team last week. As a result, cornerback T’Sharvan Bell moved to safety.

At that point, defensive coordinator Ted Roof called Adams in for a meeting.

“He said I could help them over there at defense again,” Adams said. “It’s not new to me no more. I know what’s going on over there. I’m not nervous about things. I know I can make plays on each side of the ball so that’s what I’m going to do.”

Auburn desperately needed Adams back at cornerback. Adams spent the entire 2008 season at corner before moving to receiver during the middle of spring practice.

Auburn could get two more cornerbacks – JUCO transfers Demond Washington and Taikwon Paige – within the next few weeks. They would also add immediate depth to the position.

Adams said he has transitioned back to the corner position well.

“When I went back to defense, we were practicing out there, a little mini-camp or whatever on our own, and I caught an interception,” Adams said. “I hopped right back into it. I know what’s going on.”

Adams made the move after considering a transfer to another school closer to home to be closer to his ailing mother, Barbara Adams.

Adams said his mother is a diabetic and has had trouble with her blood sugar levels. She struggled getting over the flu, forcing Adams to reconsider his future at Auburn.

“My dad tells me she’s been doing well lately and he told me to stay so that’s one of the main reasons I chose to stay,” Adams said.

Adams is planning to go home to visit his mother at the end of July, before fall camp opens. Then he plans to put himself in the mix for regular playing time as an Auburn cornerback.

Two AU players giving up football

LB Da'Shaun Barnes and DL Andre Wadley are both giving up football before ever playing their first games for the Tigers.

Both players have accepted medical hardships, meaning they will receive a free education but will no longer be on the team roster. They will also not count against Auburn's scholarship count.

AuburnSports.com first reported the news on Wednesday.

Barnes was on Auburn's roster last season but did not play. He sat out spring practice with a hip injury.

Wadley was supposed to be a true freshman last year but suffered an undisclosed illness during a summer workout a year ago.

With Wadley and Barnes now leaving the team -- in addition to the dismissals of LB Marcus Jemison, S Christian Thompson and DL Jomarcus Savage -- the Tigers now have five empty scholarship slots. I'm not yet sure what Auburn will do with those spots. This is just a hunch, but I've got to think punter Clinton Durst might finally get the scholarship he so badly wants.

Back on the beat

I'm finally back and posting again after a week hiatus. I went to Vegas for the week where "Seven" was the theme of the week. Sadly, I was stuck on the pass line.

Anyway, here's a short look at what has happened since I've been gone:

The good news:
More Auburn incoming freshmen are filing into the program. This week, it was QB Tyrik Rollison, LB Dee Ford and DT Jamar Travis.
The list of other freshmen already cleared: QB Clint Moseley, ATH Robert Cooper, RB Dontae Aycock, WRs Anthony Gulley, Emory Blake, DeAngelo Benton and Travante Stallworth, TE Philip Lutzenkirchen, OLs John Sullen and Andre Harris, DLs Nosa Eguae and Nick Fairley and LBs Harris Gaston and Jonathan Evans.

ESPN will televise Auburn's 2009 game with West Virginia. Game time is set for 6:45 p.m. and will be shown on either ESPN or ESPN2. That means at least 11 Tigers games will be televised this year.

The bad news:
Three players were kicked off the team last week. S Christian Thompson, LB Marcus Jemison and DE Jomarcus Savage were all kicked off for reasons yet unspecified by Auburn. Coach Gene Chizik has not been available for comment.

Contract talk

I sat down with Auburn athletics director Jay Jacobs today for an interview. Among the topics we discussed were coaching contracts.

Jacobs said today that most, if not all, the football coaching contracts have been finalized. This includes Gene Chizik. Jacobs said Chizik's contract has been finalized and, in fact, was finished a couple weeks ago.

The general terms of agreement have already been released, but the contract has not yet been made available. When it is available, you can find it here.

Savage injured

The Tigers’ secondary suffered a setback when cornerback Aairon Savage suffered an undisclosed injury during a summer workout.

Auburn released a statement late Tuesday afternoon confirming the injury, but offering no details.

“Aairon Savage did suffer an injury while working out, and at this time, the extent of the injury is still being evaluated by our medical staff,” the release said.

Savage spent most of the time this spring working back into shape from knee surgery. Coaches said he was limited throughout all contract drills.

The senior defensive back tore knee ligaments last August during one of the first fall practices. At the time he was considered a co-starter with Walt McFadden.

This year Savage was expected to play a serious role in the defense either at nickelback or as a safety.

Savage was a starter at safety in 2006, but missed time with various injuries that year as a sophomore.

---

On a positive note, the Tigers got another pledge at a position of need for the 2010 class.

Linebacker Jessel Curry made a verbal commitment to Auburn on Tuesday, just two days after concluding his unofficial visit to the Plains.

Curry, son of former Atlanta Falcons linebacker Buddy Curry, previously gave a verbal commitment to West Virginia. The Buford, Ga. product changed his mind before his visit to Auburn.

Curry told AuburnSports.com that he plans to graduate in December so he can participate in spring practice.

Rivals.com has not yet rated Curry. Scout.com rated him as a three-star fullback.

Three linebackers have now made verbal commitments to sign with the Tigers on the 2010 signing day.

Sanders, Jacobs drafted

Wednesday, on the second day of the Major League Baseball draft, the Colorado Rockies selected Auburn third baseman Joseph Sanders during the fifth round.

Sanders led the Tigers in both home runs and RBIs despite missing a few weeks with a broken jaw. The third baseman enjoyed a career year in 2009.

The other Auburn news in the MLB draft came from one of its football signees, linebacker Brandon Jacobs. As a senior left fielder at Parkview (Ga.) High School, Jacobs batted over .500.

The Boston Red Sox thought highly enough of Jacobs to make him a 10th-round selection.

In a recent interview with AuburnSports.com, Jacobs said: "Looking at the slot money, most likely rounds seven and up, I'll probably go."

With Jacobs getting selected in the 10th round, must now choose whether to play football at Auburn or begin a professional baseball career.

Auburn lacks depth at linebacker, so Jacobs could help the team right away if he opts to play football.

LB White chooses Auburn

If the weeks following Auburn’s Big Cat recruiting weekend are any indication, the tactic was a success.
A second player that visited for the weekend announced he would play for Auburn.
The most recent commitment came from outside linebacker Jawara White on Monday at Charles Henderson High School. Rivals.com considers White, who plays for Henderson, a three-star recruit and the No. 28 outside linebacker in the nation.
White chose Auburn over offers from Alabama, Florida State, Ole Miss, Kentucky and Arkansas.
Last week receiver Jeremy Richardson, another Big Cat visitor, announced he was committing to Auburn.
White gives the Tigers six commitments