Auburn's Ted Roof, Gene Chizik committed to playing more Tigers this season

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Today is press conference day at Auburn. Also, depth chart day. We'll be back in the late morning to kick off some that, plus video. Until then, here is today's newspaper story...

AUBURN - Auburn defensive coordinator Ted Roof says he is going to play his backups no matter what this season.



No, really. He says he will.

He didn't do it much last year - couldn't, really -- because of a lack of depth, especially at linebacker. But an influx of new talent and a mandate to use more players has Auburn looking to go deeper down the roster as it prepares for Saturday's season-opener against Arkansas State in Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Roof and head coach Gene Chizik say they have no choice.

"To be able to look at the big picture, you've got to do that because that's not only what's best for our football team this year, but our football program,'' Roof said.  :We've got to put together a game plan that allows those guys to function and perform.''

Auburn will release its first depth chart since the Outback Bowl today. On it will be four new defensive starters and almost an entirely new list of backups. Adam Herring, for example, was the top backup at two linebacker spots. An injury ended his career. D'Antonie Hood was the backup left cornerback. He left. Nick Fairley was a backup. He's starting. Demond Washington was the backup right cornerback even though he was a starting safety. He's a real cornerback this year. Mike Slade was a backup safety. He's fallen back.

In their stead will be new reserves, including freshmen in prominent roles.

Freshmen Jeffrey Whitaker, Corey Lemonier, Crag Sanders and Kenneth Carter will almost certainly play in the defensive line. Some, or all, of the freshman linebacker quartet of Jake Holland, Jessel Curry, Jawara White and LaDarius Owens will play. Freshmen Ryan Smith, Chris Davis and Jonathan Mincy will be among the first to relieve starters in the secondary. The return of the injured Zac Etheridge, Aairon Savage and Mike McNeal to the secondary relieves pressure as well.

They'll all help this year because last year linebackers Josh Bynes and Craig Stevens played almost every snap of the season, even going a now-celebrated 115 plays against Northwestern in the Outback Bowl.

"We have great depth defensive-wise with all the young guys that we got in, so we'll be able to get rotations when we need it,'' says senior defensive end Antoine Carter.

Chizik says Auburn will force itself to play more players.

"It's going to be important that we get these guys in the game, whether we have the lead or not,'' he said.  "That's hard to do, and we've talked about that. It's hard as a coach to say, 'Hey, I've got to get my guy in in the middle of the second quarter.'''

Chizik said a backup's appearance Saturday night may have less to do with the season-opener as the middle of the season, and beyond. That's when he'll need fresh players. He'll try to keep them ready by substituting early in the season.

"That's where you've just got to bit the bullet and let all the young guys play regardless of where you're at,'' he said.

Chizik says he sees a ``good bit of difference'' in his depth chart in his second year on the job.

"But that difference comes from young guys,'' Chizik said.

"We'll still have some growing pains that go with having a lot of young guys out there, special teams and things of that nature. But it's just a little different atmosphere when you have athletic bodies to put in there that are talented. Maybe they don't have the experience yet, but they're talented and it just makes a difference all the way across the team.''

Roof said the freshmen are going to play. Honest.

"And when they play, they've got to let it go and not worry about being perfect,'' he said. "I want to see them play hard and play physical.''

And give the starters a breather, for a change.

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2010/08/auburns_ted_roof_gene_chizik_c.html