Wright is Fairley ready

By Charles Bennett

AUBURN – He’s already wearing defensive lineman Nick Fairley’s No. 90 jersey, and if Gabe Wright plays anything like him, Auburn’s questions at defensive tackle will be all but answered.

A 6-4, 310-pound freshman from Columbus, Ga., Wright is eager to emulate Fairley’s success, but for now, he’s taking things one step at a time.

“To tell you the truth, I just want to take things slowly,” Wright said, when asked if he were ready for Friday’s first practice in pads. “I really do. Pads are something that everybody in camp is going to look forward to, especially somebody who thinks that they're ready to play or definitely look forward to playing. But I'm still a freshman.”

Auburn coach Gene Chizik said Wright is off to a good start.
“The thing I like about Gabe is he is really, really working everyday like he is going to take someone’s position,” Chizik said. “That appears to be to be his mindset. That’s what every young guy out here, that’s the way every one of them needs to think. So he’s confident and he’s working hard in that direction. In terms of just trying to learn and listen to what coach Pelton is asking them to do, I think he’s doing a real good job.”

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